Highlights
- Romesh Ranganathan fronts a new BBC campaign inspired by John Cleese's famous 1985 licence fee advert.
- The musical film features around 90 well-known personalities, including Claudia Winkleman, David Jason and Chris Martin.
- The campaign launches as the BBC seeks to make the case for renewing its royal charter amid falling licence fee payments.
More than four decades after John Cleese asked, "What has the BBC ever given us?", the broadcaster has revived the idea with a modern twist. This time, comedian Romesh Ranganathan takes centre stage in a musical remake designed to highlight the value of the BBC as it prepares for discussions over the renewal of its royal charter.
The new campaign premiered during the FIFA World Cup final and brings together dozens of familiar faces from across the BBC's television, radio and digital services.
A fresh take on a BBC classic
Directed by Dougal Wilson, the filmmaker behind Paddington in Peru and several John Lewis Christmas adverts, the film opens with Ranganathan playing a disgruntled licence fee payer inside the Queen Vic pub from EastEnders.
Questioning the value of the licence fee, he is soon taken on a musical journey through the BBC's programmes and services. The advert features around 90 personalities, including Claudia Winkleman, Chris Martin, David Jason, Greg James, Alan Carr, Cate Blanchett, Clive Myrie and characters from Hey Duggee.
One sequence sees Louis Theroux standing beside a giant switch labelled "BBC", warning: "You know, none of this has to exist... if we don't want it to."
Campaign comes as BBC faces funding pressure
The advert arrives as the BBC steps up efforts to demonstrate its public value ahead of negotiations over the renewal of its charter.
The broadcaster has recently reported a sharper-than-expected fall in licence fee payments, with around half a million more households choosing not to pay over the past year. It also faces growing competition from platforms including YouTube, TikTok and streaming services.
While many viewers welcomed the nostalgic campaign, some critics questioned the decision to revisit the famous 1985 advert rather than create an entirely new concept.
Romesh Ranganathan explains why he backed the campaign
Ranganathan said he was proud to support the project because he believes the BBC continues to play a unique role, despite acknowledging it is not without flaws.
"I strongly, strongly believe that the BBC should exist," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's without its flaws... but I feel incredibly passionate about the fact that we should have it and it adds so much to our lives."
He added: "I really do feel strongly that we should have a BBC and I think that there is nothing else that does what the BBC does."
The comedian also reflected on the broadcaster's influence on his own career, saying Goodness Gracious Me was the programme that first made him believe someone like him could succeed in comedy.
"I didn't think people that looked like me could do comedy," he said. "Then you watch something like Goodness Gracious Me and you think, yeah, I could do that."
The advert also acknowledges Ranganathan's long association with the broadcaster, with Clive Myrie, Sara Cox and Chris McCausland jokingly reminding him of the BBC programmes he already fronts.
