Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, has resigned after a former adviser accused the corporation of “serious and systemic” bias in its coverage of issues including Donald Trump, Gaza and trans rights. Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, also resigned. Davie said his departure was “entirely my decision” but acknowledged the current debate around BBC News contributed to it.
The resignations follow criticism over the editing of a Donald Trump speech in a Panorama programme. The edit spliced together clips from a January 2021 address, creating the impression Trump said he would go to the Capitol and fight. The BBC is expected to apologise for the editing.
Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described the BBC as “100% fake news” and a “propaganda machine”. Trump himself posted on Truth Social, accusing “very dishonest people” of trying to influence the presidential election. The BBC chairman, Samir Shah, said he understood the pressure on Davie and respected his decision.
Earlier, Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the BBC’s editorial guidelines committee, had written a letter criticising the corporation. The letter also condemned BBC Arabic for using contributors who had expressed antisemitic views. Prescott left his role in the summer.
The departures come as the BBC faces critical negotiations with the government over its future and funding. Insiders described the mood as one of dismay, with one saying: “It feels like a coup … the result of a campaign by political enemies of the BBC.”
