Broadcaster Ben Fogle has announced he will donate one year's salary from his television series Animal Park to help over-75s pay for their TV licences.
The generous move comes after the BBC announced that they would scrap free TV licenses for nearly four million pensioners.
Under the new rules, most over-75s would not qualify for free TV licences. Low-income households in which one person receives the pension credit benefit, however, would still be allowed a free licence.
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Giving free licences to all pensioners would have resulted in "unprecedented closures" and would have cost £745m, a fifth of the BBC's budget, by 2021 or 2022, according to the BBC.
Ben made his announcement on Twitter, saying that while he thought the BBC was "one of the greatest institutions in the world", he was "disappointed" in the latest move.
Ben wrote: "I LOVE The BBC. I think it is one of the greatest institutions in the world. It is the envy of most nations, it makes amazing content and I'd argue it is still value for money."
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The TV presenter went on to describe how the BBC gave him his first break and employed him for many years, but added that he was "disappointed in the recent announcement on the abolition of free licences to the over-75s", saying that he doesn't "entirely blame the BBC" and thinks "the government forced their hand".
"I have decided to donate my entire salary for this year's BBC Animal Park to subsidise licences for this over 75 who have no way of paying for a licence," he said.
"My late grandparents, Jean and Dick LOVED the BBC. They would have been lost without it in their twilight years.
"My mother has made many great BBC dramas over the years and is soon to appear in the new Dr Who (spoiler alert).
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"This is not virtue signalling (although I do think it's time to rethink the licence) but we owe it to those over 75 who have served their country in the armed forces, the NHS, the fire service etc. Let's not penalise those who most value the great BBC."
Ben finished his message by saying the kind donation was the "least [he] can do" for the elderly population.
"I think society is in danger of losing its moral compass," he added. "This is the least I can do for those over 75, an often neglected sector of society. Wouldn't it be nice if we started respecting, loving and thanking our elderly population." He tagged charity Age UK in his post.
Ben also lent his support to an Age UK campaign to save free licences, which currently has over 400,000 signatures.
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Fans lauded Ben's decision, saying it was a "kind gesture", a "lovely sentiment" and calling him a "terrific human being".
We couldn't agree more.
Featured Image Credit: Piovanotto Marco/ABACA/ABACA/PA ImagesTopics: Celebrity News
