Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce has called for a ‘cull of managers’ at the BBC and demanded that they ‘justify their existence’.
The veteran DJ, 69, has criticised how licence fee money is spent and believes it should be used for programming rather than office bureaucrats and luxuries such as the director-general’s car.
Bruce’s mid-morning show is the most popular programme on British radio and the broadcaster insisted he ‘loved’ the BBC.
However, he believes the national broadcaster is ‘over-managed’ and bosses should be forced to ‘justify’ their roles.
He admitted the corporation was a ‘frustrating place to work’ and that it sometimes felt there was a department devoted to keeping creative ideas off the air.
Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce criticised the way the BBC uses its licence fee money. He criticised how Lord Tony Hall the outgoing director general of the BBC entitled to a car and driver worth £30,000 a year
Speaking on the Radio Moments Conversations podcast with host David Lloyd, he said: ‘I do sometimes think a cull of managers would be no bad thing.
‘Every so often they say ‘we are doing that, we are going to cut the management layers’. And somehow, even if they do, they come back within a few years.
‘Unfortunately, part of our slice of the licence fee has to pay for the director-general’s car, things like that, and a policy unit. How much does Radio 2 need a policy unit dealing with government?
‘The basic thing is the programmes and once you start forgetting about them, you’re in trouble.’
He added: ‘It was always said there was a famous part of the BBC called the programme prevention department, which existed purely to stop you getting your ideas on air. I’m afraid sometimes it can seem like that at the BBC.
‘I’m a huge admirer of the organisation. But you can scratch your head sometimes and see itself shooting itself in the foot. And you think ‘please, please don’t do that to an organisation we all love’.’
Bruce is the longest serving DJ on Radio 2, having hosted the mid-morning slot since 1992.
He earned £280,000 last year, though that is less than Radio 2 colleagues including Jeremy Vine (£290,000), Zoe Ball (£370,000) and Steve Wright (£465,000).
Bruce’s mid-morning show became the most popular on British radio last year, with an average weekly audience of almost 8.5 million
His show also became the most popular on British radio last year, beating Zoe Ball’s Breakfast show with an average weekly audience of almost 8.5 million.
Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the BBC’s director-general, is entitled to a car and driver worth £30,000 a year, on top of his £450,000 annual salary.
It comes as Naga Munchetty was savaged over her £190,000 salary after saying the BBC licence fee ‘is worth it’ to ensure viewers are ‘educated’.
Twitter users blasted the Breakfast host, 45, for backing the £157.50 charge for colour TV and £53 for black and white channels.
The end of the licence fee has been mooted by the Government, with a threat to turn the BBC into a subscription service.
Munchetty told Radio Times magazine: ‘There’s been noise about the licence fee for decades.
‘But at Breakfast, we’re not ratings-driven, we’re not there to garner attention on social media.
Naga Munchetty (pictured with co-host Charlie Stayt) has been savaged over her £190,000 salary after saying the BBC licence fee ‘is worth it’
‘We’re there to provide a service and make sure people are informed, educated and entertained. I think a licence is worth that.’
Earlier this month the government threatened to ban the BBC from taking viewers to court if they do not pay their TV licence.
It came a day after the corporation announced the end of free TV licences for everyone over the age of 75 from August.
It means more than three million households have to find a way to pay £157.50 for the service, or risk criminal prosecution.
Only those who receive pension credit – estimated to be around 1.5million – will still be able to access live TV and BBC iPlayer for free.
The PM’s spokesman said it was ‘the wrong decision’ while Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said he feels ‘let down’ and the decision will ‘have an impact’ on proposals to decriminalise the licence fee.