Hard Talk is the best series on the BBC and has always deserved far better scheduling.

I think it was on one time at about 3am. The huddled masses in the arms of Morpheus dreaming of Strictly and X Factor. The hardest talk they hear is Loose Women.

BBC yet again dispensing of what makes it special to become like everyone else...

Dear Tim Davie - my tip to save money; dump Derbyshire; keep Hard Talk.

Also to save money get rid of Paddy McGuinness. I imagine he's paid a fortune for his innane exaggerated northern blabberings which are more at home on a Saturday night itv gameshow. Also there is no need for charperones for each dancing couple on strictly. If you much watch these consenting adults doing their job, put cctv in the practice studios.

I'd like to ask the BBC bigwigs who make all the decisions just what they think the BBC's "mission" is nowadays because I'm damned if I can understand what they are playing at dispensing with all the things that the BBC should be doing, especially in serious news journalism. Never has it been more important to have serious hard news, long form interviews and investigative journalism.

They got rid of Andrew Neil, they've trashed Newsnight and now Hard Talk. Are some people like Neil and Sackur doing their jobs too well or something?

I've listened to Kirsty Wark talking on a podcast this week - For The Many with Iain Dale - and it was quite clear she is disgusted by what they've done to BBC Newsnight and why she walked away, and she was clearly wishing to say so much more about the BBC but her loyalty made her bite her tongue I thought.

It's almost like they are winding down their news and current affairs operation when it should be the jewell in the BBC crown. How long before Panorama vanishes too? Even that is not the substantial programme it once was.

Panorama is now about as hard hitting and investigative as That's Life. Half expecting Ant and Dec to start hosting it soon. All Newsnight needs is a wheel of fortune phone-in with Holly Willoughby dancing about grinning inanely.

It's terrible that they're axing HardTalk. I also think it's one of the best programmes on the BBC.

The BBC is foolish to axe HARDtalk - As the World Service shrinks, Russian and Chinese propaganda might take its place.

... What makes the BBC’s decision to end HARDtalk even more baffling is that Tuesday’s announcement came just one day after Tim Davie, its director-general, delivered a speech to the Future Resilience Forum in which he warned that the shrinkage of the World Service due to funding cuts meant Britain was struggling to counter the rise in “pure propaganda” being broadcast by Russia and China.

“Free and fair reporting has never been more essential – for global democracy and for audiences of most need around the world,” he argued. But “we can see clear evidence of the fact that when the World Service retreats, state-funded media operators move in to take advantage”.
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HARDtalk is being axed as the cash-strapped BBC seeks a net reduction of 130 news jobs in a £24m cost-cutting drive.

Sackur is scarcely bothered to conceal his dismay at the demise of one of the BBC’s flagship current affairs programmes. “It’s depressing news for the BBC and all who believe in the importance of independent, rigorous, deeply-researched journalism,” he wrote on X.

“At a time when disinformation and media manipulation are poisoning public discourse HARDtalk is unique – a long-form interview show with only one mission: to hold to account those who all too often avoid accountability in their own countries.”
…

Russian and Chinese propaganda might take its place.

Oh yes, because the Western media is factual. Yeah, right!