The BBC plans to sell ads on some of its podcasts to UK listeners on sites such as Apple and Spotify.

“Ads are the norm” on commercial platforms, BBC Studios said, and would “generate more revenue to support the BBC, license payers, our suppliers and rights holders.”

But BBC Sounds listeners would continue to listen to the same content without interruptions.

In December, the license fee increased by a smaller amount than expected, leaving an estimated £90 million funding gap.

And as more critics of the BBC suggest that a universal tariff no longer makes sense in a digital age of abundant choice, there has been speculation that its funding model could change.

The BBC's smaller drama, comedy and factual podcasts will include adverts from late 2024.

And if this is successful, they will start appearing on higher profile podcasts like Desert Island Discs and The Archers.

However, news and current affairs podcasts will not include ads.

And the plans are subject to regulatory evaluation.

But News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said they were “very alarming”.

“Such intervention will profoundly distort competition and wreak havoc on commercial players across the media and advertising sector,” he added.

Måns Ulvestam, co-founder of podcasting company Acast, is also concerned that the ads will “cannibalize the revenue of all other podcasts, because it will be very easy to sell BBC ads in the UK.”

BBC Studios already sells ads on BBC podcasts outside the UK.

It also sells audiobooks, but last year, 75% of its revenue came from streaming services such as Amazon's Prime Video and Netflix.

Meanwhile, BBC Sounds generated 1.6 billion streams last year.