BBC spends £45,000 on Oxo party to launch Merlin

THE BBC was under fire today for throwing a £45,572 licence fee-funded party to launch a TV drama series.

But bosses defended spending so much cash on entertaining 300-plus people at the Oxo Tower to promote Merlin saying it was "the most cost-effective way possible". It was the biggest of four parties in 2008 at a total cost of nearly £164,000, Channel 4 News established using freedom of information laws.

The BBC's chief operating officer Caroline Thomson defended the bill. "We don't party for party's sake; we choose the programmes we are going to launch at parties very carefully," she told Channel 4. The cost included food, drink, room hire, photography, security, entertainment, invitations and transport. A total of 326 people, including the media, cast and crew were invited. Also launched with parties were The Passion, No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and Little Dorrit.

Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of broadcasting and media union Bectu, said: "I am shocked at a time when the BBC has made 2,000 staff redundant this year. I am not saying that they shouldn't do it, but I believe they have plenty of in-house facilities that would be suitable."

Lib-Dem culture spokesman Don Foster said: "Those people who pay their licence fee want that money to be spent on top quality broadcasting, not on top quality parties."