What has the BBC ever done for us? Corporation spent around £2million on promotional advert despite plans for huge job losses

The BBC spent an estimated £2million on this year's promotional advert amid its plans for huge job losses, The Mail on Sunday has discovered. Critics have now accused bosses of 'frittering away public money' and urged them to spend on areas that really matter to the public such as quality programmes. The 'What has the BBC ever done for me?' film starred comedian Romesh Ranganathan and featured more than 100 stars describing why they thought the broadcaster was important.

But a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has now revealed that the BBC spent £820,000 on 'media placement and promotion' of the four-minute film. Industry experts also estimate the advert, which required a six-day shoot, would have cost at least £1million to produce. The film was directed by Dougal Wilson, of Blink Productions. John Lewis also employed Mr Wilson for its 2016 Christmas ad, which cost £1million to make. It comes after the broadcaster increased the licence fee to £180 a year and is planning to cut up to 2,000 jobs and axe channels in a bid to save £500million.

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: 'The BBC is an important national institution which we all value. Comedian Romesh Ranganathan (pictured) said he felt 'honoured' to front the BBC's ad, which was a parody of the Monty Python sketch 'What have the Romans ever done for us?' 'But viewers do not need to be bombarded with expensive, self-congratulatory adverts reminding them of that fact. 'The top brass at the national broadcaster should focus spending on the areas that really matter to people: good quality programmes and journalism that informs the public – not frittering away public money.'

Ranganathan – who earned £2million last year, according to his company's accounts – has defended his appearance in the campaign, saying he felt 'honoured to be asked to front it'. The BBC has not revealed his fee for appearing in the ad in the FOI request because it would harm his 'commercial interests'. The Corporation also did not say how much it spent on producing the film. The advert is a parody of the 'What have the Romans ever done for us?' sketch from Monty Python's Life Of Brian film.

It was similarly used in a BBC promo in 1986 which starred John Cleese. It aired this summer but sparked a backlash, with some viewers branding it a 'nauseating' and 'toe-curling' attempt to convince people it was still worth paying for. In the advert, Ranganathan talks about the BBC's achievements. Star cameos include Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin who plays the piano. Journalist Louis Theroux also appears next to a giant on-off power switch, warning: 'None of this exists if we don't want it to.'

A BBC spokesman said: 'Like other broadcasters, we promote our services creatively to ensure audiences across the UK can get best value from the BBC.'