Comedian and presenter Romesh Ranganathan says he paid for a BBC advertisement he appears in, explaining that it required a “significant time commitment.” Multiple outlets report that Ranganathan is the face of a new BBC campaign and appears in a short promotional film. One report describes the advert as featuring Ranganathan leading nearly 100 other stars in a three-minute film promoting the BBC.
The coverage also frames Ranganathan’s comments in contrast to how other contributors were used. One outlet reports he suggested that other participants had cameos for free, while he paid for his involvement. Another outlet focuses on his role as host of The Weakest Link and highlights the timing and purpose of the campaign.
Overall, the articles agree that the BBC is running a campaign featuring Ranganathan, and they cite his explanation that he personally covered the cost due to the time required for his part in the production. They do not dispute the campaign’s general goal: promoting the broadcaster and its programming through a multi-guest film.
