The BBC is to put key brands Blue Peter, Cardiff Singer of the World, Eurovision Song Contest and Sports Personality of the Year out to a competitive tender.

The BBC will retain all rights for the shows and they will continue to be shown on the BBC, but the tendering process will decide which production company makes the programmes.

2. BBC tender

The BBC is to put key brands out to competitive tender

Invitation to tender will be published for Blue Peter, Eurovision Song Contest and Sports Personality of the Year next month by BBC Commissioning, with the invitation to tender for Cardiff Singer of the World to follow later this year.

The tendering of returning series forms part of the BBC’s Charter and Agreement requirement to open up more of its TV programmes to competition, following the launch of the BBC’s Compete or Compare strategy in 2014.

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BBC Sports Personality of the Year was previously put out to tender in 2019 as part of the BBC’s contestability obligations and was awarded to BBC Sport’s in-house production team (Sport Productions). Sport Productions will not be competing this time.

David Pembrey, Chief Operating Officer, BBC Content said: “These four brands are hugely important and represent the distinctive range which the BBC offers – and in tendering them we are underlining our commitment to securing the very best programmes and value for audiences.”

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