BBC reboots John Cleese’s 1985 licence fee advert with Romesh Ranganathan musical
The BBC has released a new musical version of its famous 1985 advert featuring John Cleese, now fronted by comedian Romesh Ranganathan, as part of a campaign for charter renewal.
Over 40 years after John Cleese's iconic 1985 BBC advert, in which he grumbled about the licence fee in a pub full of celebrities before being corrected, the corporation has rebooted the concept with a new musical version. The advert is fronted by comedian Romesh Ranganathan and directed by Dougal Wilson, known for Paddington in Peru and John Lewis Christmas ads. Set in the Queen Vic pub from EastEnders, Ranganathan plays a disgruntled licence fee payer who embarks on a song-and-dance tour of BBC shows and services, featuring around 90 famous faces including Chris Martin, Claudia Winkleman, David Jason, and Greg James. The BBC is currently campaigning for charter renewal amid declining licence fee payments and rising competition from YouTube, TikTok, and streaming services. Last year, half a million more households than expected stopped paying the fee. The advert ends with Louis Theroux backstage at Strictly Come Dancing, putting his hand on a giant BBC on/off switch and saying none of this has to exist if we don't want it to. The film premiered on TV during the World Cup final and was launched on social media on Sunday morning. Reactions have been mixed: some viewers praised it, while The Telegraph called the content "notably middlebrow" and The Times complained it was a rehash of an old idea, emblematic of current TV trends. Ranganathan defended the advert, saying he strongly believes the BBC should exist despite its flaws, and that he felt honored to front it. He credited the BBC show "Goodness Gracious Me" with inspiring him to pursue comedy, as it showed him that people like him could succeed in the field.
