ITV reduces programming budgets as UK TV and film production spending falls sharply

ITV announced plans to cut its programming budget as part of £30m in temporary savings, which include £25m in content and £5m elsewhere in the business. The broadcaster anticipates falling advertising revenues and faces pressures from digital streaming competitors and macroeconomic uncertainty. Simultaneously, data from the British Film Institute showed that spending on films and high-end television shows in the UK dropped by £2.08bn year on year to £5.2bn. Industry experts attribute the decline to a combination of shifting global industrial contexts, increased international competition, and a previous record year in 2025.