The BBC has been accused of 'gaslighting' more than 200 Jewish staff, contributors and suppliers after they raised detailed complaints about antisemitism at the corporation. The group sent a letter to BBC chair Samir Shah calling for an investigation into what they warned could be a 'serious institutional racism problem'.
The correspondence, first reported by Deadline and published by Variety, cited social media posts on the Israel-Gaza conflict, including those by Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, Apprentice contestant Asif Munaf, and others by BBC Arabic staff. A 30-page dossier of anonymous staff complaints about antisemitic experiences was also submitted.
In his reply, Shah expressed 'great concern' but referred the group to formal complaint routes, stating he was 'satisfied that where we have made errors, the executive have acted appropriately'. The response angered signatories, with producer Leo Pearlman accusing the BBC of treating Jews with 'disdain' and calling the reply 'gaslighting by every definition'. Former Panorama producer Neil Grant said the board 'won't even formally discuss our concerns'.
The row adds pressure on the BBC, already facing criticism over abuse allegations on Strictly Come Dancing and the handling of news presenter Huw Edwards. A BBC spokesperson said the corporation has 'well-established and robust processes' for handling complaints and stands 'united against any form of abuse, prejudice or intolerance'. They noted action had been taken when impartiality standards were breached, including Lineker deleting a retweet and Munaf being dropped from a show.
