Save Audio Drama at the BBC

From April 2025 the BBC are making dramatic cuts to audio drama on Radio 3, completely eradicating audio drama from the channel.

This change will not only see essential employment opportunities for writers and other creative workers slashed, but programming of new material will be completely gone.

When the BBC announced these changes, they made no formal commitment to saving audio drama and alongside Equity and the Society of Authors we launched a campaign, calling on Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, to reconsider these devastating cuts and to Save Audio Drama at the BBC.

Our petition reached over 10,000 signatures. Our members also wrote to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP. And on World Radio in February 2025 our members shared a video on their social media channels to keep the pressure up and show Director General Tim Davie and the BBC that audio drama is a valued art form, enjoyed by audiences across the country. View a selection of the videos here

The campaign received wide coverage in the media, including The Times, The Observer, The Guardian, The Independent and BBC Radio 4 Feedback programme where WGGB Audio Co-Chair Nicola Baldwin spoke passionately about the medium. You can listen to her full interview here.

At the BBC Audio Drama Awards in March 2025 the BBC announced they were launching a new 90-minute play slot on Radio 4, focussing on new audio dramas and original adaptations of classic stage plays. We welcomed this news and the fact that the BBC listened to the outcry from our members and many in the audio drama community. We will continue to raise the issue of cuts to audio drama at our regular forum with the broadcaster.

Thanks to all our members who took part in the campaign and helped achieve this important win.

If you’d like to get more involved in our audio work please drop a line to WGGB Assistant Organiser (Craft) Eleanor Dawson – email: eleanor@writersguild.org.uk