Alex Phillips and Kevin O'Sullivan on the BBC TV licence fee
The BBC licence fee was blasted as "ludicrous" and a "tax just to watch Strictly Come Dancing" after it emerged the Government had approved a plan to cut the planned annual rise by a third.
Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, said he "welcomed" the new deal, which will see the licence fee rise by ￡10, to ￡169.50 per year from April.
However, the fee itself has remained controversial, with many unhappy at being forced to pay a fee to use their televisions. Among the critics is TalkTV host Kevin O'Sullivan, who described the fee a "ludicrous anachronism", and something other countries would refuse outright to do.
READ MORE: BBC licence fee outrage as blind woman fined 'for not subsidising Gary Lineker'
The row was discussed on TalkTV, where presenters raged at the freeze (Image: TALKTV)
Speaking on the station this morning, Mr O'Sullivan said: "We are stuck with this ￡170-a-year to pay for your television, and I still think that the television license is an embarrassment.
"It's a ludicrous anachronism tax on watching Strictly Come Dancing."
His co-host Alex Phillips waded in by interjecting: "It's a tax on being force-fed Gary Lineker."
Mr O'Sullivan continued: "That's right. Nowhere else in the world will send you to prison because you didn't pay to watch your television set. It's extraordinary. We have got to get rid of it. And the BBC doesn't speak for people in this country anymore anyway."
Don't miss...
Government refuses to scrap TV licence despite 11k signing petition to scrap it [LATEST]
David Jason says licence will be 'taken' after ‘crashing’ virtual helicopter [INSIGHT]
TV licence should be replaced with new tax that all households pay, TV boss says [ANALYSIS]
The decision to create a slight rise was delivered this week and comes at a difficult time for the broadcaster.
As well as being made to make cuts of around ￡500million-a-year to its services, the BBC has also had to content with the rise of streaming platforms, sparking a downturn in the TV industry.
Mr Davie said of the new proposals: "In the context of the broader market it is something we welcome because it allows us some certainty despite very significant challenges … in terms of making the budget meet.
"There is not a media organisation in the world, certainly a traditional so-called broadcast organisation, that doesn’t need to fundamentally look at its model and make sure [it is] in the right place."
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading
Start 30-day
FREE trial
Trending
Earlier today, Express.co.uk told of the heartbreak of what can happen if people do not pay their TV licence, including the story of a partially blind woman who was prosecuted for the crime.
It led Sir John Hayes, a former minister and founder of the Common Sense Group of Tory MPs, to rage: "I suggest she and all those pensioners who are cruelly pursued, regardless of their circumstances, send bills equivalent to their fines to multi-millionaire, BBC-funded Gary Lineker."
The controversy surrounded a 62-year-old disabled woman who was prosecuted via the Single Justice Service (SJS) over an unpaid TV Licence and told to pay a ￡56 fine.
The woman, who also has memory problems after a brain haemorrhage, was prosecuted using the SJS, which, according to the Government, "allows magistrates’ courts to deal with minor offences in a way that’s quicker, more straightforward and more efficient, while still being fair, transparent and rigorous".
A TV Licensing spokesperson said: “We will not prosecute anyone if they provide us with evidence that shows us that there are significant reasons why they could not obtain a licence.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Your Sky TV price is rising but make a simple change this week for vastly lower bills
1 Comments
Sign up to the Daily Express Strictly Come Dancing Newsletter for all the news and gossip
5 Comments
Activists occupy King Charles's royal home in bizarre supermarket protest
189 Comments
BBC Escape to the Country star issues warning as she pays tribute to co-stars
5 Comments
Yellowstone fans expose major Jamie Dutton financial plot hole ahead of season 5 return
Comments
Cornwall holiday prices soar as controls on holiday homes to be introduced
4 Comments
Ofcom launches GB News probe as programme with Rishi Sunak sparks 500 complaints
828 Comments
Abu Dhabi firm trying to buy Telegraph in ￡1.15bn deal for Fleabag production company
3 Comments
King Charles will be 'absolutely focused' on day job despite cancer scare
4 Comments
Brits are missing out on ￡19 billion in unclaimed income due to lack of easy access
13 Comments
HMRC responds to claim UK loses ￡22.5billion a year to offshore tax-dodgers
10 Comments
Jeremy Hunt urged to cut this one tax in Spring Statement to 'give a leg-up' to Britons
101 Comments
New rules for short-term lets to help locals in tourist hotspots afford housing
24 Comments
Grandparents give the equivalent of their state pension to help struggling relatives
7 Comments
BBC licence fee outrage as blind woman fined 'for not subsidising Gary Lineker's salary'
976 Comments
BBC Escape to the Country star reveals 'unheard of' moment due to budget drama
Comments
GB News host fears for BBC's Countryfile after viewers slam 'woke' show - 'Lost its way'
28 Comments
Meghan Markle leaves Hollywood 'dumbfounded' as she turns down 'golden opportunity'
922 Comments
Steve Wright landed 'major new BBC radio role' just days before Radio 2 DJ's tragic death
Comments
Disney Plus users can get a cheap one-year subscription for less than ￡70 - here's how
Comments
Your Sky TV price is rising but make a simple change this week for vastly lower bills
1 Comments
Sign up to the Daily Express Strictly Come Dancing Newsletter for all the news and gossip
5 Comments
Activists occupy King Charles's royal home in bizarre supermarket protest
189 Comments
BBC Escape to the Country star issues warning as she pays tribute to co-stars
5 Comments
Yellowstone fans expose major Jamie Dutton financial plot hole ahead of season 5 return
Comments
Cornwall holiday prices soar as controls on holiday homes to be introduced
4 Comments
Ofcom launches GB News probe as programme with Rishi Sunak sparks 500 complaints
828 Comments
Abu Dhabi firm trying to buy Telegraph in ￡1.15bn deal for Fleabag production company
3 Comments
King Charles will be 'absolutely focused' on day job despite cancer scare
4 Comments
Brits are missing out on ￡19 billion in unclaimed income due to lack of easy access
13 Comments
HMRC responds to claim UK loses ￡22.5billion a year to offshore tax-dodgers
10 Comments
Jeremy Hunt urged to cut this one tax in Spring Statement to 'give a leg-up' to Britons
101 Comments
New rules for short-term lets to help locals in tourist hotspots afford housing
24 Comments
Grandparents give the equivalent of their state pension to help struggling relatives
7 Comments
BBC licence fee outrage as blind woman fined 'for not subsidising Gary Lineker's salary'
976 Comments
BBC Escape to the Country star reveals 'unheard of' moment due to budget drama
Comments
GB News host fears for BBC's Countryfile after viewers slam 'woke' show - 'Lost its way'
28 Comments
Meghan Markle leaves Hollywood 'dumbfounded' as she turns down 'golden opportunity'
922 Comments
Steve Wright landed 'major new BBC radio role' just days before Radio 2 DJ's tragic death
Comments
Disney Plus users can get a cheap one-year subscription for less than ￡70 - here's how
Comments
Your Sky TV price is rising but make a simple change this week for vastly lower bills
1 Comments
Sign up to the Daily Express Strictly Come Dancing Newsletter for all the news and gossip
5 Comments
Activists occupy King Charles's royal home in bizarre supermarket protest
189 Comments
BBC Escape to the Country star issues warning as she pays tribute to co-stars
5 Comments
Yellowstone fans expose major Jamie Dutton financial plot hole ahead of season 5 return
Comments
Cornwall holiday prices soar as controls on holiday homes to be introduced
4 Comments
Ofcom launches GB News probe as programme with Rishi Sunak sparks 500 complaints
828 Comments
“The evidence we will consider is set out in the TV Licensing Prosecution Code leaflet which Visiting Officers leave with people who have potentially broken the law.
“Possible reasons include vulnerabilities such as mental health and severe financial hardship. We also send people a letter explaining this after a visit.
“If they do not give us a reason but provide the Court with one, the sitting Magistrate should consider it and reflect it in the sentence and any fine. We may step in and withdraw a prosecution when we consider that the matter is not in the public interest to proceed - this may happen at any stage if we are made aware of relevant evidence.”
Related articles TV licence fee will rise by ￡10.50 as Lucy Frazer confirms BBC hike next year BBC licence fee to be hiked by just ￡10 next year after Government intervention Crisis for BBC licence fee as half a million switch off and cancel payments Furious Tory MPs demand BBC licence fee is scrapped after ￡10.50 hike announced POLL: Should the BBC licence fee be scrapped after ￡10.50 price rise announced?