Business · Companies · 16 hrs ago
BBC promotional film estimated to have cost £2m as job cuts loom
The BBC spent an estimated £2m on a promotional film featuring comedian Romesh Ranganathan and more than 100 other stars.
A Freedom of Information request showed £820,000 went on media placement and promotion, while industry experts estimated production cost at least £1m.
The four-minute film promoted the broadcaster’s work and aired this summer.
Critics said the money should go to programmes and journalism instead, as the BBC plans major savings.
The BBC has raised its annual licence fee to £180 and plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs and axe channels to save £500m.
The BBC says promotion helps audiences get value from its services, but no further steps on the advert were stated.
The BBC spent £820,000 on media placement and promotion for a four-minute promotional film, according to a Freedom of Information request.
Industry experts estimate that producing the film cost at least £1 million, bringing the estimated total to around £2 million.
The film, starring comedian Romesh Ranganathan and featuring more than 100 other stars, aired this summer.
Critics said the spending was misplaced as the BBC plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs and save £500 million.
The BBC said it promotes its services creatively so audiences across the UK can get the best value from it.
- Who
- The BBC spent the money on the film, which starred Romesh Ranganathan and featured more than 100 other stars.
- What
- The BBC spent £820,000 on media placement and promotion. Industry experts estimate production cost at least £1 million.
- When
- The film aired this summer. The spending was reported on 8 November 2026.
- Where
- The promotion was intended for audiences across the UK.
- Why
- The BBC said it promotes its services creatively so audiences can get the best value from it.
Critics of the spending
BBC
Purpose of promotion
Critics of the spending
Critics said viewers did not need expensive adverts reminding them of the BBC’s value.
BBC
The BBC said it promotes its services creatively so audiences can get the best value from it.
Spending priorities
Critics of the spending
Critics urged the BBC to focus spending on quality programmes and journalism, rather than what they called a waste of public money.
BBC
The BBC said it promotes its services to audiences across the UK.
A BBC promotional film using the Monty Python sketch was made with John Cleese.
The BBC’s promotional film starring Romesh Ranganathan aired.
The Daily Mail reported the FOI figure of £820,000 for media placement and promotion.
- Media placement and promotion
- £820,000
- Estimated production cost
- At least £1 million
- Estimated total cost
- Around £2 million
- Film length
- Four minutes
- Job cuts planned
- Up to 2,000
- Savings target
- £500 million
What people are saying
The top brass at the national broadcaster should focus spending on the areas that really matter to people: good quality programmes and journalism that informs the public – not frittering away public money.
Like other broadcasters, we promote our services creatively to ensure audiences across the UK can get best value from the BBC.
honoured to be asked to front it
None of this exists if we don’t want it to.