The fate of BBC regional programming in England has been plunged into further uncertainty after it emerged that 150 jobs are to be cut from the BBC’s Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland operations.

According to the National Union of Journalists, the BBC’s Nations and Regions divisions have been set savings targets of more than £20m a year for the next two years, equating to around 60 job losses in both Scotland and Wales, and 30-40 in Northern Ireland.

Further cutbacks are expected to the English regions with the BBC needing to plug a £125m hole in its finances as a result of Covid-19.

It represents a blow to the NUJ’s campaign to save the regional politics programme Inside Out which has been backed by a host of celebrities.

National broadcasting organiser, Paul Siegert, said: “The proposed cuts to the nations and regions are extremely worrying. The BBC says it wants to get out of London and better reflect the make up of the UK. These job cuts will make that far harder. It will also mean less scrutiny and holding to account of local politicians and decision makers.

“If the BBC shrinks and reduces news coverage in these areas there is no one else that will be able to step in and fill the void left behind.”

The latest job losses come a week after the NUJ sent a letter to the BBC’s current and next director general urging them “not to reduce regional programming”, which attracted more than 100 signatories, including journalists, broadcasters, musicians and authors.

The letter expressed “extreme concern” that Inside Out has had its forthcoming series cancelled and that all other regional departments in England “could be cut completely” as a result of the ongoing review.

Inside Out, which has 11 editionised regional variants, is the BBC’s only regional current affairs show in England and has been running since 2002.

Among those who’ve signed the letter are Samira Ahmed, Stephen Fry, Sir Lenny Henry, Benjamin Zephaniah, Ken Loach and Edwina Currie.

Poet, journalist and broadcaster Ian McMillan, said: “Inside Out does what the best regional media does; it reflects the culture of a place back to the people who live there. Without regional media we are a more threadbare society.”

There are also fears that the BBC’s local Sunday Politics shows, which have already been cut from 11 to one due to COVID-19, will not return.