Channel 4 has announced it will cut 340 jobs by the end of the year, reducing its workforce by around 28%, as part of a strategic overhaul of the broadcaster. Chief executive Priya Dogra described the move as the "first phase" of a transformation intended to make the organisation "the right shape and size" and to focus more investment on popular programming, though the plans have drawn concern from MPs over their impact on staff and the network's regional presence.

The cuts will reduce Channel 4's current staff of 1,270 by 340 roles, marking the largest round of redundancies in the broadcaster's history since it launched in 1982. The publicly owned, advertising-funded network says the changes are a response to a challenging media landscape, including shifting audience habits, growing global competition and a volatile advertising market, with Dogra telling staff the restructuring will ensure more of the £1bn income is spent on programming. A staff consultation process is due to begin shortly, with a fuller strategic direction to be set out in the coming months; the announcement comes as Married at First Sight, one of Channel 4's biggest shows, remains off air following a BBC investigation into misconduct allegations.