Samir Shah, the BBC chair, has apologised for an 'error of judgment' in the editing of a Panorama documentary featuring a speech by Donald Trump. The apology comes after the controversy led to the resignations of the BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, and head of news, Deborah Turness.
In a letter to Caroline Dinenage, chair of the culture and media select committee, Shah said the BBC had mishandled an internal review of the matter. He defended the corporation against claims of bias, stating they were 'simply not true'. The BBC received over 500 complaints after a critical memo from a former adviser highlighted the editing issue.
Shah wrote: 'We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.' The edit spliced together two sections of Trump's speech delivered an hour apart, omitting his call for peaceful protest. Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey urged the UK to 'defend our democracy from foreign interference', warning against foreign powers dictating where Britons get their news. A Downing Street spokesperson said the government supports a strong, independent BBC and that it was right for leaders to take responsibility for mistakes.
David Yelland, former Sun editor, described the resignations as 'a coup' orchestrated from within, with BBC sources expressing dismay. The crisis was triggered by a leaked memo from former independent adviser Michael Prescott, which Shah described as a 'partial' and 'personal' account.
