BBC revives Cleese campaign for Charter debate
July 19, 2026 11.01 Europe/London By Julian Clover


The BBC has launched a new brand film fronted by Romesh Ranganathan, revisiting the 1986 John Cleese campaign that asked what the BBC had done for its audiences.

The BBC Creative-produced film, What has the BBC ever done for me?, brings together 90 BBC figures and characters across television, radio, news, sport and children’s programming. It is directed by Dougal Wilson through Blink Productions, with original music by Ben Foster, Ben Bailey Smith and Andy Burrows, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers.

The film begins in EastEnders’ Queen Vic before moving through a series of BBC settings, with appearances from names including Clive Myrie, Louis Theroux, Claudia Winkleman, David Jason, Greg James, Trevor Nelson, Sara Cox, Anita Rani, Chris McCausland, Nessa and Mr Tumble. Chris Martin is also shown performing at the pub piano.



Justin Bairamian, Director of BBC Creative, said: “This campaign is a timely reminder of the value the BBC creates every day. Forty years after the question was first posed, we’re returning to it through a new generation of stars and programmes.”

The campaign launched across BBC social channels on Sunday, July 19, ahead of its first TV broadcast during the World Cup Final on BBC One and iPlayer. It will also run across TV, radio, cinema, social media, digital platforms, newsletters and BBC iPlayer.

The campaign comes as the BBC seeks to make the case for its public value ahead of the next Charter settlement. The corporation’s 2025/26 Annual Report showed monthly reach of 94% of UK adults, but also highlighted continued pressure on licence fee income, with the number of licences in force falling by 539,000 year-on-year.