A new way to watch short-form video on the BBC News and BBC Sport apps

If you’ve ever found yourself quickly scrolling through videos on your phone to catch the latest news or sports highlights, you’re not alone. Millions of us do it. In fact, YouGov found among adults aged 16-24, short-form video consumption is widespread. 85% watch short-form content at least once a week, and for many younger viewers, it is a daily habit.

That’s why I want to update you on some improvements we’re making to our apps - to make finding video faster and our content easier to discover.

From swipeable vertical videos (so you don’t have to turn your phone around) to a brand-new Shorts tab in the BBC Sport app, we’re rethinking how people can find and watch video on-the-go on mobiles.

Whether you’re checking breaking news, catching a key sporting moment, or just looking for something to watch next, mobile habits have changed. People want content that’s quick to access, easy to navigate and visually engaging.

Across the BBC News and BBC Sport apps, our new vertical, swipeable video experiences make it possible to move seamlessly from one clip to the next. It’s a format that feels natural on a phone - whether it’s checking the latest waiting for the bus, catching those key moments between meetings - or getting up to speed on your lunchbreak - more and more of us are doing it.

At the same time, refreshed video rails will bring more content into view, helping audiences spot something interesting faster without having to dig around for it.

For sports fans, the changes are especially noticeable.

The BBC Sport app has introduced a dedicated Shorts tab, giving fans a central hub for bite-sized video content - from match highlights and expert analysis to quick explainers, reactions and behind-the-scenes moments.

It’s designed to keep pace with everything from major tournaments to keeping up with the news from your favourite team – offering a fast-moving feed of the stories and moments that matter most.

There’s also a new customisable startup screen, giving viewers more control over your experience. Prefer jumping straight into short clips? You can set the Shorts feed as your default. Want the traditional homepage first? That’s still there too.

In short, it’s about letting fans choose how to follow the action.

The BBC News app is also evolving with a smoother, more immersive video experience.

The new swipeable portrait player allows people to move through news clips with easy vertical swiping — ideal for quickly getting up to speed with the latest stories, explainers and analysis.

Combined with improved video rails, the app makes it easier to discover trusted reporting and dive deeper into the topics that catch your attention.

These updates don’t come out of nowhere.

They build on earlier experimentation with short-form video on BBC iPlayer, where audiences could browse vertical clips, swipe between videos, and jump straight into full programmes or add them to a watchlist.

Those trials offered valuable insight into how short-form content can act as front door into richer, longer-form viewing. And those learnings are shaping experiences across BBC News and Sport.

While the format may feel new, the focus remains the same.

Audiences come to us for trusted, high-quality journalism, sport and storytelling. These updates make that content easier to discover in the way many people now use their phones: quickly, visually and throughout the day.

By combining familiar BBC strengths — trust, depth and storytelling — with a format designed for modern habits, the aim is simple: make it easier for audiences to discover more of what the BBC offers.

And this is just the start.

As short-form video continues to evolve, we’re looking at how these experiences can connect quick updates, live moments and in-depth content — creating a seamless journey from a single clip to the full breadth of BBC journalism, sport and entertainment.

We’ll update you as we go.

Thanks for reading.