Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has faced criticism after appearing in a new BBC advert promoting the licence fee, with critics branding the campaign "shameless" given the corporation's ongoing funding troubles. Ranganathan, a well-known BBC face through shows such as The Weakest Link and his various comedy and travel programmes, was reportedly paid to front the advert, prompting questions about the broadcaster spending licence-payer money to defend the very charge that funds it.

The row comes amid wider scrutiny of the BBC's finances and the future of the licence fee model, which has faced mounting criticism over compulsory payment amid falling viewership among younger audiences and rising competition from streaming services. Details of how much Ranganathan was paid for the advert have not been fully disclosed, but the arrangement has fuelled accusations that the BBC is using its own budget to make the case for its funding mechanism rather than addressing underlying concerns about its value for money.