SPORTSDAY TO BE AXED AS PART OF BBC BUDGET CUTS

The BBC are set to 'reshape' its sports news output, with plans to axe daily sports show Sportsday, which airs on the BBC News channel.

A BBC spokesperson said: "The proposed changes would allow us to enhance our storytelling and live event coverage to ensure we remain relevant and deliver more value for audiences across the UK."

A source told The Mail: "It feels like they are killing sports news on television. Those involved are distraught. It came as a shock and it’s fair to say that none of them saw it coming. They’re basically decimating the output of sports news on television."

Last year the BBC axed technology show Click as part of its latest round of budget cuts. It was also revealed that long-running interview show HARDtalk will also come to an end after more than 25 years on air.

HARDtalk launched on BBC World News on March 31st 1997, with award-winning journalist Tim Sebastian at the helm. The first ever guest was the acclaimed British actor and film director, Richard Attenborough. The late writer and theorist Edward Said, journalist Irma Kurtz, yachtsman Pete Goss and the late raconteur Quentin Crisp rounded out HARDtalk's first week.

Since then there have been more than 4500 guests willing to sit in the HARDtalk hot seat, from international political leaders to entertainers; from corporate decision-makers to ordinary individuals facing huge challenges or finding themselves on the news agenda.

The current presenter of HARDtalk is Stephen Sackur, one of the BBC's most respected journalists. Before joining the programme in 2006, he worked as a BBC correspondent in the Middle East, America and Brussels. Other presenters include renowned presenters Zeinab Badawi and Sarah Montague.

Sportsday is available now on BBC iPlayer.