BBC stars join major revolt over job losses as unions threaten strike ballot

A total of 2,500 posts are being axed in the cuts which will plunge the broadcaster into turmoil.

Director General Mark Thompson yesterday claimed that the actual number of redundancies will be 1,800 because some staff will be redeployed.

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Presenters including John Humphrys and Mark Lawson are said to have criticised him over the plans at a private meeting.

Unions admitted strikes targeting show such as Strictly Come Dancing and East-Enders look all but guaranteed.

The BBC plans to inflict viewers with more repeats as it cuts new programming by 10 per cent, saving £100million.

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Corporation chiefs also confirmed yesterday they were selling Television Centre, which is expected to fetch £300million.

At the meeting with top talent on Wednesday night it is claimed that Humphrys, Lawson and Lord Winston all questioned the Director General.

Mr Thompson was said to have been asked tough questions about bosses trying to stamp out dissent.

He also faced accusations that there were too many executives and that the corporation's chiefs were guilty of damaging morale.

Politicians also voiced concerns that the cuts would damage important public service areas.

Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Director General 'has a gargantuan task to persuade the public that quality in core areas such as news and documentaries will not be affected'.

Lib Dem culture spokesman Don Foster added: 'Questions must be asked about the impact of such drastic cuts and whether the right choices over services have been made.'

Yesterday Mr Thompson - who admitted the cuts were painful and difficult - further angered staff after suggesting that huge salaries such as Jonathan Ross's £18million deal were worth every penny.

'Licence fee-payers want outstanding, witty talent, which is a relatively scarce resource,' he said.

As the corporation prepared to tell some of its presenters that they face salary cuts, BBC Breakfast presenter Dermot Murnaghan revealed he is defecting to Sky News.

He is the second high-profile newsreader to jump ship in recent days - Natasha Kaplinsky has quit for a £1 million-a-year job with Channel Five.

Among the first shows to be culled as part of the actions will be natural history programme Wild, which is fronted by Bill Oddie. The show is among a group of 'middleweight' factual shows that have been canned.

Documentary Arena will be cut from seven episodes a year to five and the international documentary Storyville will also be cut back.

Programmes such as Newsnight, Question Time, This Week, and Imagine, will be safe. Later With Jools Holland, and The Culture Show will move to peak time.

The BBC pledged to prioritise 'high-impact, distinctive drama', such as Life on Mars, Doctor Who and Spooks.

It will cut the budget for BBC3, the digital channel for younger viewers, and its teen service Switch by £10 million.

Around £1.5 billion-worth of proposals for new services over the next six years, including four new local radio stations, have been dropped.

But the BBC says it is hoping to create about 900 new jobs as it makes a new £300 million investment in a new personalised My BBC Now broadband service.

Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of the union Bectu, said strike action is '100 per cent guaranteed' if the BBC goes ahead with predicted voluntary redundancies.

He said: 'The BBC seems hellbent on calling for volunteers for redundancy tomorrow.'

About 400 jobs will be axed in the news operations, 600 in the division which makes factual programmes and about 500 in the regions.

BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons said: 'The job of the BBC is to demonstrate to the public of this country that every single pound of licence fee-payers' money is squeezed for maximum value.'