DATELINE LONDON 'SET TO BE AXED BY BBC AFTER 25 YEARS'

The long-running current affairs series, which sees foreign correspondents based in London give an outsider's view of events in the UK, is set to be dropped by the BBC this September after 25 years, according to reports from The Guardian.

Nick Guthrie said (via The Guardian): "It’s pretty clear the BBC has decided it wants to make substantial changes to the news channels. It’s an iconic brand that offers a unique perspective...

The show was recently described by Hillary Clinton as an ‘oasis of sanity in a very troubled world’. And Chris Patten once called it ‘the jewel in the BBC’s crown’. I may be biased, but it would be a tragedy to cancel it now, as audiences cry out for clarity. The contributors have been told it is doomed and are not happy either."

A BBC spokesperson (via The Guardian) said: "[Dateline London] has been a key part of the BBC News Channel schedule, having informed debate and brought context to world events to our viewers for many years. As the channel’s output has evolved, we now have a number of programmes that offer a similar experience to our audience."

Dateline London airs on the BBC News Channel and BBC iPlayer.