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How much success is too much success for the BBC? Apparently $163 million worth.

That's how much the government-financed British media empire is expected to cut from its upcoming budget, which includes some serious casualties, including "Heroes" and "The Wire," according to The Times.

BBC Trust chairman Michael Lyons told license fee payers that he was conducting a review of the BBC to see how they can make it "smarter, more efficient and no bigger than it needs to be."

But that could mean getting rid of some of its top American imports like "Heroes," which is about to start its fourth season on NBC in the United States. Such acquisitions, however, has made it harder for commercial cable operations like ITV to operate, said one of the chief executives of News Corp. James Murdoch, which owns a stake in ITV.

The move, however, could help save other aspects of the BBC family, including BBC Three where the "Doctor Who" spinoff "Torchwood" got its start.

If "Heroes" were to move off BBC, it likely would find another home on one of the other commercial platforms. It's unclear how much BBC pays to broadcast "Heroes" and other American imports individually, but its distancing itself from that type of programming will surely heat up competition among its rivals.

For more on the story, check out The Times reporting by clicking here. Just to note that The Times is owned by News Corp.