The BBC has released a new television advertisement urging viewers to pay the licence fee, but the campaign has been widely criticised as embarrassing and desperate. The four-minute clip, fronted by comedian Romesh Ranganathan, asks 'What has the BBC ever done for me?' and features a parade of the broadcaster's biggest stars in an attempt to justify the £180 annual charge.
Advert Features BBC Stars in Cringe-Worthy Appeal
The advert opens in the Queen Vic, the iconic pub from EastEnders, where Ranganathan poses the central question. It then cuts to a series of cameos from BBC talent, including Coldplay's Chris Martin playing the EastEnders theme tune, Claudia Winkleman in her Traitors cloak pulling a pint, Alan Carr, and Louis Theroux. In one scene, Ranganathan is attacked by Daleks from Doctor Who, a show that was axed three years ago following a 'woke backlash'. He also encounters Ruth Jones' character Nessa from Gavin and Stacey, who speaks in Welsh, and walks through scenes from Casualty and Wallace and Gromit.
The advert concludes with a message: 'On top of all that, they don't even have ads!' Critics argue this misses the point, as the main grievance is not advertising but the mandatory £180 fee for content that could otherwise be free to watch.
Over 500,000 Stop Paying Licence Fee
According to the BBC's annual report, more than 500,000 people stopped paying the licence fee in the past year. There are now 23.3 million TV licences in force, a fall of 539,000 from a year earlier. The report also revealed that the BBC's top on-air earner in 2025-26 was Radio 2's Scott Mills, who has since been sacked following allegations about his personal conduct, raising concerns about overpaid talent and the corporation's handling of controversies.
Matt Brittin, the BBC's director general, said the broadcaster faced a 'moment of real jeopardy', describing the licence fee funding model as 'ties us to the past'.
Reliance on Axed Shows Undermines Message
The heavy reliance on Doctor Who, which has been shelved for 2026, and EastEnders, whose viewing figures have fallen from 17 million for its first episode to around 2-2.5 million per episode, has been seen as highlighting the BBC's declining offerings. While shows like The Traitors are currently popular, critics note that talent shows such as Dancing on Ice and The X Factor were axed by rival broadcasters, suggesting The Traitors may not last.
BBC Uses World Cup to Push Licence Fee
The BBC also used the World Cup as an opportunity to remind viewers to pay the licence fee. Pundit Guy Mowbray issued a warning when a barcode appeared on screens at half-time, stating: 'It's that time again, how about taking a break from the tension by renewing your TV licence. Just scan the QR code on screen, it will take you to the link to do so, whilst not blaming the messenger.'
