BBC hires Dutch weather f irm after freezing out Met Office

THE BBC has appointed a private company as its weather forecaster following its decision to axe the Met Office after 90 years.

The corporation announced it has awarded the contract to Dutch firm MeteoGroup, with some weather presenters likely to lose their jobs as a result.

The London-based business, which provides forecasts for Sky News and Channel 4, impressed the BBC with its ‘innovative’ and modern weather service.

It will take over next spring, and is expected to introduce new technology and science to the broadcaster’s weather app and forecasts.

The BBC said the seven-year contract will save ‘millions of pounds’, and will lead to ‘more comprehensive and detailed forecasts’ and a more personalised website.

Much-loved weather presenters such as Carol Kirkwood are expected to keep their jobs. The BBC acknowledged how ‘fondly’ the public view such household names.

The deal marks the end of a partnership spanning more than 90 years between the BBC and the Met Office, which began with the corporation’s very first weather forecast in 1922.

Millions of people regularly tune in to hear or watch local, national and global forecasts, which use observational data gathered by the weather service.

A Met Office spokesman said there was ‘disappointment’ at the decision and that ‘nobody knows British weather better than the Met Office’. They added that the agency will still be responsible for determining when to issue severe weather warnings – which will be featured on the BBC.

The Met Office also provides weather forecasts to the Ministry of Defence, Network Rail and the Highways Agency, among others, and these are set to continue.

Nigel Charters, project director for BBC Weather procurement, sought to reassure viewers in an online blog, writing: ‘We know how fond people are of our weather presenters. We have taken steps so the vast majority of our well-known and much-loved presenters will continue to front BBC Weather.’

MeteoGroup began as MeteoConsult in the Netherlands in 1986, and was the first major European weather business in the private sector. It has offices in 17 countries, with headquarters in the UK.

Chairman Richard Sadler said: ‘MeteoGroup is honoured to have been chosen to partner with the world’s leading broadcaster. The BBC is dedicated to offering the best possible weather service to its audience and it has been a demanding selection process.’

Mr Charters said MeteoGroup was chosen ‘because it can best meet our ambitions for innovative and high quality weather services’.

‘MeteoGroup will be putting its multiple sources of meteorological data into providing more comprehensive and detailed forecasts… Audiences can expect to see a more personalised website with clearer and more searchable graphics and more information on screen and on air.’

MeteoGroup was deemed the ‘most economically advantageous’ applicant. The BBC declined to comment on the contract’s value.

‘Much-loved presenters’