A former BBC board member has publicly condemned the corporation's leadership, resigning in protest over the recent departures of Director-General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness.
A Stinging Resignation Letter
Shumeet Banerji published his full letter of resignation on Wednesday, 26th November 2025. He announced his decision to leave the BBC board the previous Friday, less than a fortnight after the high-profile exits of Mr Davie and Ms Turness.
In his letter, Dr Banerji wrote that it was "incomprehensible to me that a board should lose" its top executives "in a short period of time… and still hold itself in high regard". He stated his reason for resigning clearly: "I am resigning because I will not be seen as a participant in a board decision on which I was not consulted, nor one which in my view has had adequate discussion."
The Scandals Behind the Departures
The resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness followed a series of scandals that have rocked the public broadcaster. A significant trigger was a Panorama episode which selectively edited a speech made by former US President Donald Trump before the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
This issue was brought to the board's attention via a leaked memo from former external adviser Michael Prescott, which also raised serious concerns about impartiality at the BBC. Mr Banerji noted that the memo had been "duly and predictably leaked to the press".
Dr Banerji expressed his surprise that Ms Turness was informed "that she did not have the confidence of a majority of the board". He argued that Mr Davie would have logically seen this lack of confidence in his head of news as "a direct assault on himself as the editor-in-chief and CEO".
Contradictions and Fallout
The former board member did "not regard Tim’s decision as surprising" under the circumstances, praising Mr Davie as an "exceptional, ethical and values-driven leader". He concluded his letter on a pessimistic note, questioning whether the departures of these "most senior, respected and loved executives" would make the BBC stronger, adding: "I doubt it, very much."
These claims have been contested by BBC Board Chairman Samir Shah. On Tuesday, he told a select committee of MPs that he believed he had consulted Mr Banerji during a 26-minute phone call, stating he was "disappointed and surprised" by the former member's assertions.
A BBC spokesman previously noted that Dr Banerji's term as a non-executive director was due to end at the close of December and that the search for his successor was already underway.
