Romesh Ranganathan, the comedian, has taken on the task of rebooting the BBC's 1985 licence fee plea, a famous advert featuring John Cleese. In this new version, Ranganathan stars as a disgruntled licence fee payer, grumbling in the Queen Vic pub from EastEnders, alongside a host of household names. The advert takes a whistle-stop tour of the BBC's shows and services, featuring about 90 famous faces, from Alan Carr to Cate Blanchett, from Bluey to Clive Myrie. The BBC faces a moment of real jeopardy due to a decline in licence fee payments and the rise of rivals such as YouTube, TikTok, and the streamers. The advert illustrates what might be lost if the BBC doesn't exist, with Ranganathan being propelled to the backstage of Strictly Come Dancing to meet Louis Theroux, who says, "You know, none of this has to exist, if we don't want it to."
The film has had some positive reactions from viewers, but a lukewarm response from some quarters. The Telegraph complained that the selection of BBC offerings presented are "notably middlebrow", while the Times complained that it is a rehash of an old idea. Ranganathan defended the rationale behind the new version, saying that he strongly believes the BBC should exist and adds so much to our lives. He also mentioned that the BBC's Goodness Gracious Me made him believe he could have a performing career.
The advert acknowledges that the BBC has done a lot for Ranganathan himself, with Myrie pointing out he fronts The Weakest Link, Sara Cox reminding him he hosts a Radio 2 show, and Chris McCausland highlighting his hip-hop podcast on Sounds. This reboot of the 1985 advert is a clever move by the BBC to showcase the value of the corporation and its services, and to address the decline in licence fee payments. It is a reminder of the importance of public service broadcasting and the role the BBC plays in our lives.
