The BBC has been criticised for spending nearly £500,000 to demolish the set of popular soap River City. The Scotland-based series was axed in March 2025, with its final episodes set to air in September.
It was reported earlier this year that the BBC had sold the set, which was also used for Still Game and Two Doors Down, to a housing developer in a £2.1 million deal. BBC Scotland had been leasing the studios for £150,000 per year, with the deal due to end in September.
In an update, The Scottish Sun has reported that the BBC will pay £489,000 to demolish the set, leading to politicians and actors calling the corporation out after they axed the soap to save money.
BBC Scotland/Alan Peebles
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BBC Scotland said in a tender contract: “Dumbarton is the filming location for the serial drama River City which has been cancelled as part of the savings challenge. Consequently, the set needs to be derigged and removed from the site to be handed over to the landlord.”
Scott Vickers, who portrayed Will Cooper on the soap until 2015, told the outlet: “It’s infuriating to see the BBC handing licence fee payers’ money to already wealthy house builders.”
Scottish Labour deputy Jackie Baillie added: “This is an absolute slap in the face. It’s a shocking waste of public money that adds insult to injury for the cast, crew and loyal viewers who fought so hard to save the show.”
Responding to the outrage, a BBC spokesperson said: “As with any decommission, there are costs involved to bring a series to a close. BBC Scotland recently auctioned items from the set and studios, the monies of which raised will offset these costs.”
Announcing the soap’s cancellation, Hayley Valentine, Director of BBC Scotland, said: “River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we’ll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.
“But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.”
Alan Peebles//BBC
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The cast of the soap filmed their final scenes in April, with Stephen Purdon, who played ‘Shellsuit’ Bob O’Hara, sharing that the experience was “emotional, surreal and hard to put it into words”.
“I’ve been here since I was 19, now I am 43. I have lots of memories from here – great memories. I’ve been lucky to work in this industry for 24 years. We all get on great and there’s no place like it,” the actor told BBC News.
River City airs on BBC Scotland and can be streamed on BBC iPlayer in the rest of the UK.
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