GB News Proposes Radical Overhaul of the BBC

GB News submitted a proposal to BBC Charter review calling for removal of entertainment programmes such as “Strictly Come Dancing” and “The Traitors”, focus on under-served areas, a reduced licence fee payable only to households that watch BBC services, abolition of criminal sanctions for non-payment, and a ban on BBC uploads to YouTube. BBC says £180-a-year fee “can no longer support our public service mission”.

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GB News presenter Nigel Farage, who calls the fee “completely inappropriate for an online world”, leads the proposal. Co-owner Sir Paul Marshall says the channel will seek a meeting with ministers. Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger called GB News a Reform “mouthpiece”. A Reform Party spokesman denies involvement.

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The licence fee is £180 per year. The BBC reaches 94 % of UK adults each month. TV Licensing sent 46 million enforcement letters last year. GB News posted a £22 million loss and was fined £100,000 by Ofcom for impartiality breaches.

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The BBC’s charter submission says the licence fee “is not sustainable” and proposes extending it to streaming users, warning that “radical reform” must preserve public-service capacity. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called reforms “fair, sustainable and future-proof”. A Reform Party spokesman reiterated the party’s non-involvement and opposition to compulsory fees.

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A presenter warned that seeking government funding would betray GB News, saying “Everyone agrees the metropolitan, elitist BBC needs to be brought to heel but GB News shouldn’t seek any government money”. Critics note that banning BBC content on YouTube could limit access for younger viewers.

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GB News says its submission was produced independently, rejecting claims of coordination with Reform, which denies involvement. The financial model proposes a “smaller licence fee payable only by households that choose to watch BBC content” but gives no revenue estimate. The public-service news fund for broadcasters, including GB News, lacks allocation details.

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• “It’s unacceptable in the way it behaves and a licence fee of this measure is just completely inappropriate for an online world.” — Nigel Farage, GB News presenter

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• “Criminal sanctions for non-payment should be abolished and a more proportionate scheme for ensuring payment by those who choose to watch BBC services should be established.” — GB News submission

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• “The party has not contributed to the GB News submission. We are still working on our broadcasting policies but remain firmly opposed to the licence fee model.” — Reform Party spokesman

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• “The BBC [is] used by 94 per cent of UK adults on average per month and is still the number-one brand for media in the UK.” — BBC spokesperson

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GB News will seek a meeting with ministers on its charter proposals. The BBC plans to submit funding options, including extending the licence fee to streaming users. Parliament will debate charter reforms before the next general election, where Reform’s broadcasting policy could become a campaign issue.

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