BBC bosses axe consumer rights series Watchdog after 40 years to become a segment on The One Show

BBC bosses have dealt investigative journalism another blow by axing Watchdog after 40 years.

The series, which held business to account and had good viewing figures, will become a segment of The One Show.

It comes after Victoria Derbyshire’s show was dropped last month, devastating its host and sparking a 70,000-name petition to reinstate it.

Watchdog, which began as a strand of news and current affairs show Nationwide, was watched by more than three million when it last aired in the autumn.

It has had 41 series, more than 1,000 episodes and 23 presenters.

The Beeb claims its new segment, to be presented by existing hosts Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox, will give it “greater prominence”.

But a TV source said: “The BBC is being forced to make cuts and unfortunately the bosses have decided they cannot justify keeping Watchdog as a full series, twice a year.

“This doesn’t seem to make much sense given that Watchdog still pulls in good figures and is performing a public service.

"Taking it from full one-hour episodes in a proper series to just a segment on a magazine show will infuriate a lot of people.

“It’s like the axing of Victoria Derbyshire’s show all over again.”

Carla-Maria Lawson, the BBC’s Head of Daytime and Early Peak, said it was “fitting” for ­Watchdog to return to being a strand of another show because that was how it started out.

A BBC source added: “Rather than being limited to having their concerns addressed in two limited series a year, viewers can now contact the Watchdog investigations team throughout the year.”

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