Armando Iannucci has criticised the government's approach to a review of the BBC, saying tampering with the corporation was "madness".

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has insisted that ministers have no ideological plan to dismantle the BBC.

But writer and producer Iannucci told Today "Media in the UK is eight percent of our GDP, it's an industry. You cannot have that level of uncertainty behind an industry."

"The parameters of the debate have been too constricted," he added.

"What I was arguing for was to expand the BBC commercially overseas... it would make a tonne of money," said Mr Iannuci, in reference to his MacTaggart Lecture.