# BBC spends £2m on ad despite job cuts

> BBC promotes £2m ad while planning 2,000 job cuts.
- Title: BBC spends £2m on ad despite job cuts · Dailymail | Shortify
- Summary: BBC promotes £2m ad while planning 2,000 job cuts. BBC spent £2m on a promotional ad despite plans to cut 2,000 jobs.
- Keywords: bbc, job cuts, promotional ad, british broadcasting corporation, public money, licence fee, romesh ranganathan, monty python, freedom of information, media placement, Dailymail
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16275115/BBC-Corporation-2million-advert-despite-job-losses.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-11-08T01:13:05+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bbc, job cuts, promotional ad, british broadcasting corporation, public money, licence fee, romesh ranganathan, monty python, freedom of information, media placement, news, entertainment
## BBC ad spending
BBC spent £2m on promotional ad despite plans for 2,000 job cuts.
## Ad details
Ad features Romesh Ranganathan and 100+ stars promoting BBC's importance.
## FOI request
BBC spent £820,000 on media placement and promotion of ad.
## Production cost
Industry experts estimate ad cost at least £1m to produce.
## Ad director
Ad directed by Dougal Wilson, who also worked on John Lewis Christmas ad.
## Licence fee increase
BBC raised licence fee to £180 per year.
## Job cuts plan
BBC plans to cut 2,000 jobs and axe channels to save £500m.
## Conservative criticism
Conservative leader says BBC should focus on quality programmes, not ads.
## Romesh Ranganathan
Ranganathan earned £2m last year and defended ad role.
## Ad parody
Ad parodies Monty Python's 'What have the Romans ever done for us?' sketch.
## 1986 ad
BBC used similar ad in 1986 with John Cleese.
## 1986 ad backlash
1986 ad sparked backlash for being 'nauseating' and 'toe-curling'.
## Ad content
Ad includes Coldplay's Chris Martin and journalist Louis Theroux.
## Theroux cameo
Theroux warns 'None of this exists if we don't want it to'.
## BBC statement
BBC says it promotes services creatively for best value.
## Public reaction
Critics accuse BBC of frittering away public money.
## Key takeaway

BBC spent £2m on a promotional ad despite plans to cut 2,000 jobs.