A host of public figures, including JK Rowling, Chris Evans and Daniel Craig, has written to the prime minister warn against major cuts to the BBC.
As the government begins negotiations over the renewal of the broadcaster’s charter, they wrote that a “diminished BBC would simply mean a diminished Britain”.
The warning comes after the culture secretary, John Whittingdale, announced that he had reached a deal with the corporation’s director general, Tony Hall, to place the burden of free licence fees for the over-75s on the BBC.
The letter, which was published in the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, read: “We are writing to place on record at the very start of the process our concern that nothing should be done to diminish the BBC.”
The public figures, who also included Gary Lineker, Michael Palin, Stephen Fry, Judi Dench and David Attenborough, expressed concern that the BBC should not be narrowed down to only cover those subject areas ignored by the open market.
Some stars also tweeted their support for the BBC.
I may be biased but the BBC is something we should be proud of and is well worth protecting. #backtheBBC http://t.co/EPI9Mdf0Cm
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 15, 2015
Beyond any self interest I may have, this is importantThe Great being slowly sucked out of Great Britain. #BackTheBBC http://t.co/RbvzUI898q
— graham norton (@grahnort) July 15, 2015
A spokesman for the prime minister said: “We received the letter [on Tuesday] and will respond in due course.
“The green paper launching the charter review process will be published tomorrow and includes a consultation over the summer which will give everyone a chance to make their arguments and share their views.
“As the culture secretary said in the House last week, the BBC does have many outstanding qualities and it is the intention that the charter review process will endeavour to strengthen these, not weaken them.”
Full text of the letter
Dear prime minister,
We have seen that the government has pledged to modernise the licence fee, return funding that had been diverted to pay for broadband roll-out, and increase the licence fee in line with inflation in return for the BBC taking on the costs of licence fees for the over-75s.
The government and the BBC are now entering the charter review. We are writing to place on record at the very start of the process our concern that nothing should be done to diminish the BBC or turn it into a narrowly focused market-failure broadcaster.
In our view, a diminished BBC would simply mean a diminished Britain.
The BBC is a very precious institution. Like all organisations, it has its faults but it is overwhelmingly a creative force for good.
Britain’s creative economy is growing and enjoying unprecedented success. The BBC is at the heart of this as the global showcase for our creative industries. The BBC is trusted and loved at home by British audiences and is the envy of the world abroad.
During the course of the charter, we will continue to make the case for a strong BBC at the centre of British life and will be vocal in making the case for the BBC as it approaches its centenary.
Yours sincerely
Clara Amfo
David Attenborough
Clare Balding
Melvyn Bragg
Brian Cox
Daniel Craig
Richard Curtis
Judi Dench
Chris Evans
Stephen Fry
Nick Grimshaw
Miranda Hart
Lenny Henry
Gary Lineker
Michael McIntyre
Steven Moffatt
Trevor Nelson
Annie Nightingale
Graham Norton
Jamie Oliver
Michael Palin
Adil Ray
JK Rowling
Mark Rylance
Simon Schama
David Walliams
Rachel Weisz
Claudia Winkleman
Reggie Yates
