Victoria Derbyshire Show fans upset as show is axed by BBC after five years in cost-cutting drive
THE Victoria Derbyshire Show's fans were upset tonight after it was axed by the BBC because it costs too much.
The popular current affairs series, which airs every weekday, is coming off air after five years, the Corporation's own media editor reported tonight.
Amol Rajan explained that despite being showered with award nominations and wins, the savings demanded by the BBC were "too high".
The correspondent added that the Corporation's news operation was sticking by 51-year-old Victoria, who hosts most of the shows with a range of other presenters.
He tweeted: "The Victoria Derbyshire Show is coming off air. I understand @BBCNews is committed to Victoria + the (award-winning) journalism of the show.
"Cost of doing it on linear channel when savings are needed deemed too high. BBC declined to comment ahead of an announcement next week."
He added: "The show won awards at the RTS and from BAFTA. Victoria nominated for Best Presenter 4 years in a row - and won once.
"Digital impact was huge. Show was designed to reach audiences the BBC struggles to connect with, and it did - online."
Guests on the show over the years have included Katie Price and her son Harvey and former EastEnders star Kate Jarvis.
last summer, the show found notoriety when Victoria mistakenly referred to then-foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt as "Jeremy C***".
She spluttered: "I'm so sorry - Jeremy Hunt. I've never said that before in my life. It's usually men who say that so I really, really want to apologise, I'm sorry."
Many viewers were upset tonight to hear that the show was being taken off air, with one calling the decision "extraordinary".
Another wrote: "This is unacceptable. It is one of the best programmes on BBC."
A third tweeted that it was "one of the very few watchable daytime TV shows".