BBC to launch a YouTube-first documentary series featuring Dani Dyer - as it continues to pump money into youth-focused content amid cuts

The BBC is set to launch a YouTube-first documentary series for parents with episodes featuring Dani Dyer and rapper Krept, the Daily Mail can reveal.The broadcaster has just announced its new YouTube channel dedicated to parenting, CBeebies Parenting, which will feature a documentary series fronted by young stars such as Ollie Locke, Charlie Hedges, and Leanne Quigley.The films - Parenting Unscripted - will see the celebrity parents discuss their own experiences of parenthood, including anxieties about getting things right, co-parenting, relationships and allowing children to take risks.It comes as the broadcaster continues to pump money into youth-focused content while making cuts to long-standing programmes aimed at older viewers.The five documentaries will be released weekly from Friday October 9, with the programmes also available on BBC iPlayer.Radio 1 presenter Charlie Hedges will lead the series, exploring parenting confidence and the pressure to be a ‘perfect’ parent.Her film will also feature a CBeebies Bedtime Story with her daughter – the first time the BBC says the programme has featured a parent reading alongside their own child.Leanne Quigley will examine how parents can give children independence while managing concerns about risk, while rapper Krept will discuss co-parenting and balancing fatherhood with his music and business career. The BBC is set to launch a YouTube-first documentary series for parents with episodes featuring Dani Dyer Radio 1 presenter Charlie Hedges will lead the series, exploring parenting confidence and the pressure to be a ‘perfect’ parentOllie Locke-Locke and his husband Gareth will look at how having children can affect relationships, while Dani Dyer will consider different approaches to gentle parenting.Kate Morton, the BBC's senior head of commissioning for 0–6, said the decision to make the films specifically for YouTube demonstrated the broadcaster's commitment to supporting parents 'wherever they are'.Alison Lomax, managing director of YouTube UK and Ireland, said the new series would give parents ‘reassurance, advice and a sense of community’, describing it as a reflection of the BBC's commitment to supporting families.The move comes as the BBC is increasingly shifting resources towards digital platforms and younger audiences.Earlier this year, the BBC and North East Screen announced a £600,000 Digital Accelerator programme designed to help regional production companies develop digital-first content for 16 to 24-year-olds on YouTube, TikTok and Twitch. The initiative is intended to build new production capacity for younger audiences and was backed by BBC investment alongside regional funding.The broadcaster has also been seeking to strengthen its relationship with younger viewers as traditional television viewing declines.In August, the BBC appointed entrepreneur Brandon Relph, 26, to help develop its strategy for reaching younger audiences.The focus on digital and youth content comes against a much tougher financial backdrop.The BBC is in the middle of a major cost-cutting programme, with plans announced this year to reduce costs by around £500m and cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs. The first wave of cuts announced in June included hundreds of roles across news, nations and content, with further reductions expected.The cuts have continued into the autumn. In September, the BBC announced proposed reductions in its sports department, including a net loss of 36 jobs, while the corporation is also seeking to reduce commissioning expenditure by £80m in the 2027-28 financial year.Staff concerns have also grown over the future of BBC Three and BBC Scotland as the corporation considers further cost-saving measures, with redundancy processes already under way in its television and streaming division.The CBeebies Parenting, Parenting Unscripted, documentary series drops on YouTube from Friday 9th October 2026.