BOMBSHELL numbers are doing the rounds over Pobol y Cwm — the Welsh-language soap is said to cost up to £6million a year, while attracting around 27,000 viewers an episode.

The long-running drama, a mainstay on S4C, previously cost £10.1million back when it was broadcast five nights a week. It now runs at three episodes, but is still described as chewing through licence-fee cash — with some fans said to be unhappy about “far-fetched” storylines.

The spending sits inside wider BBC investment in Wales. Overall, the corporation spent £117million on Welsh programming last year, despite weekly viewership dropping below 50 per cent.

In Scotland, the BBC spent £171million on programming in 2025-2026, including £75million for shows broadcast there exclusively. But only 12 per cent of Scots watch BBC Scotland. The channel also dropped news show The Nine in 2024 after audiences fell to 1,700.

Northern Ireland’s spending was £67million, with £31million going on local-only output — yet only a third tuned in weekly.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance called on the BBC to show it can make programmes “people actually want to watch”. The BBC, meanwhile, said it’s “proud to reflect, represent and serve UK communities.”