diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/bbc.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/bbc.py
index b4daee54ea2..891ccbdf42f 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/bbc.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/bbc.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     parse_iso8601,
     try_get,
     unescapeHTML,
+    unified_timestamp,
     url_or_none,
     urlencode_postdata,
     urljoin,
@@ -793,6 +794,19 @@ class BBCIE(BBCCoUkIE):
             'description': 'Learn English words and phrases from this story',
         },
         'add_ie': [BBCCoUkIE.ie_key()],
+    }, {
+        # BBC Reel
+        'url': 'https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07c6sb6/how-positive-thinking-is-harming-your-happiness',
+        'info_dict': {
+            'id': 'p07c6sb9',
+            'ext': 'mp4',
+            'title': 'How positive thinking is harming your happiness',
+            'description': 'md5:fad74b31da60d83b8265954ee42d85b4',
+            'timestamp': 1559606400,
+            'duration': 235,
+            'thumbnail': 'https://ychef.files.bbci.co.uk/64x64/p07c9dsr.jpg',
+            'upload_date': '20190604',
+        },
     }]
 
     @classmethod
@@ -959,6 +973,56 @@ def _real_extract(self, url):
              r'videoId\s*:\s*["\'](%s)["\']' % self._ID_REGEX],
             webpage, 'vpid', default=None)
 
+        # bbc reel (e.g. https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07c6sb6/how-positive-thinking-is-harming-your-happiness)
+        if not programme_id:
+            initial_data = self._html_search_regex(
+                r'<[sS][cC][rR][iI][pP][tT]\b[^>]+\bid\s*=\s*(["\'])initial-data\1[^>]+\bdata-json\s*=\s*(["\'])([^\']+)\2[^>]*>',
+                webpage, 'initial data', default=None, group=3)
+            if initial_data:
+                # let's see if it actually is, or warning
+                initial_data = self._parse_json(initial_data, 'initial data', fatal=False)
+                if initial_data:
+                    initial_data = try_get(initial_data,
+                                           lambda x: x['initData']['items'][0], dict)
+                    if initial_data:
+                        smp_data = initial_data.get('smpData', {})
+                        clip_data = try_get(smp_data, lambda x: x['items'][0], dict)
+                        if clip_data:
+                            initial_data.update(smp_data)
+                            initial_data.update(clip_data)
+                            programme_id = initial_data.get('versionID')
+            if programme_id:
+                alt_title = initial_data.get('shortTitle', playlist_id)
+                title = initial_data.get('title', alt_title)
+                if title == alt_title or alt_title == playlist_id:
+                    alt_title = None
+                formats, subtitles = self._download_media_selector(programme_id)
+                self._sort_formats(formats)
+                description = dict_get(initial_data, ['summary', 'shortSummary'])
+                timestamp = unified_timestamp(initial_data.get('displayDate'))
+                duration = initial_data.get('duration')
+                thumbnails = None
+                # if this has a $recipe, make thumbnails with it, else use it as-is
+                thumbnail = initial_data.get('holdingImageURL')
+                if thumbnail:
+                    tnail = thumbnail.replace('$recipe', '64x64')
+                    if tnail != thumbnail:
+                        thumbnails = [
+                            {'url': thumbnail.replace('$recipe', '%dx%d' % (x, x)),
+                             'width': x, 'height': x}
+                            for x in [16, 32, 64, 128, 512]
+                        ]
+                        thumbnail = None
+                    else:
+                        thumbnail = tnail
+                # return dict containing id + all the vars with value not None
+                # mandatory members formats and title are known to be set by now
+                vars = {'title', 'description', 'timestamp', 'duration', 'alt_title',
+                        'thumbnail', 'thumbnails', 'formats', 'subtitles'}
+                ret = {'id': programme_id}
+                ret.update([[x, locals().get(x)] for x in vars if locals().get(x) is not None])
+                return ret
+
         if programme_id:
             formats, subtitles = self._download_media_selector(programme_id)
             self._sort_formats(formats)