Published: 20:18 BST, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 20:48 BST, 9 August 2026<\/p>\n
BBC Weather's longtime presenters including Tomasz Schafernaker and Louise Lear are reportedly considering leaving the channel over plans for huge cuts by bosses.<\/p>\n
As part of a focus on digital content, sources claim that bosses are planning to downsize their national weather team, leaving some of its most dedicated stars eyeing an exit.<\/p>\n
It's thought that Tomasz, Louise and\u00a0Darren Bett are considering voluntary redundancy over changes to BBC Weather that were announced last week. None of them have taken up the offer yet.<\/p>\n
Bosses shared last week that they plan to 'make more of their much-loved local weather presenters,' meaning a reduction in the number of forecasts delivered by national presenters.<\/p>\n
These new plans will reportedly include cuts to the number of national weather presenter roles from 11 to 4.5.<\/p>\n
An insider claimed that the changes come as the traditional weather forecast has become 'less relevant,' with a focus on digital content coming from a 'need for more reporting than presenting.'\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
BBC Weather's longtime presenters including Tomasz Schafernaker and Louise Lear (pictured) are reportedly considering leaving the channel over plans for huge cuts by bosses<\/p>\n
A source said: 'It's the end of an era for our weather presenting. The audience wants a bit of digital and TV – including a good old fashioned forecast.'<\/p>\n
A weather presenter also told The Times that their team should be protected from the wider cuts that have impacted the BBC.<\/p>\n
They said: 'The team is already very lean and punched above its weight for many years producing a huge amount of output across all platforms 24 hours a day. It isn't fair to compare it to the behemoth that is the rest of BBC News.'<\/p>\n
Tomasz has been working at the BBC since 2000, while Louise has hosted bulletins for TV and radio for nearly 30 years.<\/p>\n
Darren\u00a0was chosen as one of the original launching team members for BBC News 24 in 1997 having previously spent three years working for local Look North.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The BBC shared that local presenters will play a key role in future TV weather broadcasts at lunchtimes and weekends.<\/p>\n
The Today programme, BBC Breakfast, and the weekday editions of the News at Six will feature separate national forecasts from network weather presenters, as will the News at Ten for a trial period.\u00a0<\/p>\n