High-profile figures were rallying behind the beleaguered BBC yesterday after reports emerged that the UK government plans to freeze the licence fee for two years and scrap it entirely in 2027.Led by the likes of Armando Iannucci, Gary Lineker, Hugh Grant and Lucy Prebble, a backlash erupted after Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries tweeted a Daily Mail article featuring the news accompanied by a tweet reading: “The licence fee announcement will be the last.

The days of the elderly being threatened with prison sentences are over. Time now to discuss and debate new ways of funding, supporting and selling great British content.”The BBC is in the midst of negotiating the next five years of the current £159.50 ($218) annual fee and has been clear that anything less than its aim of having the fee continue to rise with inflation will lead to huge cuts to its output and redundancies.A BBC spokesman did not confirm whether the reports are true and stressed: “There has been similar speculation before.”Deadline has subsequently spoken with one source with knowledge of the negotiations who also urged caution.This source said the negotiations are nowhere near finished and Director General Tim Davie’s negotiating team can continue returning to the drawing board for the remainder of this year if they are unhappy with the proposed settlement.“There is no obligation for the BBC to accept the deal and this will go on,” said the source.If the settlement at that point is still seen as impossible to work with, the BBC can push to have the current settlement (an inflationary rise) rolled over for the next five years or Davie can threaten resignation.

High-Profile Figures Rally Behind Beleaguered BBC Following Licence Fee Freeze & Scrap Plans; BBC And Sources Say Negotiations Not Over Yet

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