The BBC’s consumer show Watchdog has been axed after 40 years and more than 1,000 episodes.

The move was announced by the BBC after it scrapped Victoria Derbyshire’s daily current affairs BBC Two programme because of cuts.

Changes will also be made to Newsnight, 5Live and other output, leading to about 450 job losses in an attempt to “reduce duplication” and make savings.

Watchdog began as a weekly feature on BBC One’s news magazine programme Nationwide before becoming a standalone series in 1985. It usually runs for two series a year but will now feature on BBC’s The One Show in the spring.

Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox will continue to present the segment, which investigates and exposes the companies, institutions and fraudsters who rip off members of the public.



A BBC source said: “[Watchdog is] expected to be a weekly fixture within The One Show, not just twice a year, so better for consumers to have year-round presence to react to their issues.”



Alison Kirkham, the BBC’s head of factual, said that the move meant Watchdog would “achieve even greater prominence and success in raising awareness” of viewers’ rights.

But the TV presenter and founder of Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, tweeted: “Sad to hear Watchdog is being culled as a standalone programme (and enveloped instead by the One Show).

“Campaigning consumer journalism must remain a core public service. I’m glad to say ITV is still committed to it, and is recommissioning my show for a 10th series”.

Ammar Ebrahim, a journalist who won the BBC’s Rising Star of the Year 2019, tweeted upon hearing the news: “Such a shame. Working as a researcher on Watchdog/Rogue Traders was my first job at the BBC and it was amazing knowing that your journalism would help people who had been wronged. Learnt so much from working on it.”

The One Show’s editor, Rob Unsworth, said: “Bringing the quality, investigative journalism of the much-loved and trusted Watchdog brand to viewers year-round is an exciting move and a great opportunity for The One Show; and means that more than ever the team can react on behalf of consumers whenever stories come up.”