The BBC has announced plans to close its Scotland linear TV station as it seeks to make £500m savings.

The channel, which started in February 2019, will move to BBC iPlayer in spring next year, although its nightly News at Seven programme will close.

The change is expected to see about 10 posts cut in addition to the 60 BBC Scotland announced earlier this year.

Director of BBC Scotland, Hayley Valentine, said: “Against the backdrop of significant financial challenges, we must focus our resources where they will have the greatest impact for audiences.”

The BBC said a wide range of its programming currently shown on the linear TV channel would be available online or on BBC One or BBC Two in Scotland.

Shows include Scotland’s Home of the Year, Murder Case, Inside Barlinnie, the Scottish Cup Final and Hogmanay.

The broadcaster’s SPFL Championship matches on Friday evenings will move to BBC Two in Scotland.

In other channel changes, the corporation said BBC Three would be moving online.

Last month, new BBC Director General Matt Brittin said given current finances and changing audience habits it “may well mean” some channels and radio stations close so resources can be invested in on-demand services.

Brittin told BBC One’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that “we wouldn’t guarantee any programme or any channel will exist forever”.

The BBC previously announced it would cut between 1,800 and 2,000 – almost one in 10 jobs – as part of measures to make £500m savings in the next two years.

In June, 550 job cuts were announced in news, nations and TV and radio content as part of its first stage of cuts.

In recent months, the BBC announced a series of closures of programmes including Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, Live At The Apollo and Football Focus. Cuts to radio programmes have also been announced.

The broadcaster, which has about 21,500 full time employees, gets most of its income from the licence fee, but the number of TV licences sold has been declining in recent years.

Plans for a dedicated BBC Scotland TV channel were announced in 2017 by then BBC Director-General Tony Hall.

He said the “bold, creative and ambitious” channel would replace BBC Two Scotland as the main home for Scottish-produced programmes.

It gained Ofcom approval and was launched in February 2019 with the investment of 80 journalism jobs.

It was fronted by flagship news programme The Nine which covered Scottish, UK and international stories from a Scottish perspective.

The channel also became home to Scottish drama, comedy, documentaries, current affairs and sport including Debate Night and Scottish national team football games.

In 2024, five years after it went on air, the BBC announced plans to scrap The Nine alongside entertainment news show The Edit and weekly news review Seven Days.

It was replaced by a shorter 30-minute news programme News at Seven, as well as extended versions of Reporting Scotland.

Valentine, who was launch editor of the The Nine, said it was “always sad” to see programmes come to an end.

She praised staff by saying: “I am extremely proud of the News at Seven team and everything they have delivered since launching.

“Our teams are highly skilled, and we will continue to evolve our news and current affairs offer to reflect the changing way people consume journalism today.”

Valentine added that by “continuing the channel on BBC iPlayer, we can ensure Scottish content thrives in a digital environment”.

“BBC Two in Scotland, alongside BBC One Scotland, will maintain a strong and distinctive Scottish presence on linear television,” she said.