The reputation of former US President Donald Trump was likely not damaged by a controversial edit of one of his speeches in a BBC Panorama documentary, a parliamentary committee has been told.
Adviser Raises Concerns Over BBC Editing
Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC's editorial standards committee, faced questions from MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Monday 24 November 2025. This followed his leaked memo expressing serious concerns about the editing techniques used in the Panorama episode 'Trump: A Second Chance?'.
Mr Prescott revealed that during his three years on the standards committee, he observed incipient problems with editorial standards that were not being properly addressed. He stated there are issues of denial at the BBC and claimed that the management did not accept there was a problem with this specific Panorama programme.
The Controversial Edit and Legal Fallout
The core issue centred on how clips from Mr Trump's speech on 6 January 2021 were spliced together. The editing created the impression that he had directly told supporters he would walk with them to the US Capitol to fight like hell, just before disorder erupted.
Following the programme's broadcast, Donald Trump threatened the BBC with a billion-dollar lawsuit. Simultaneously, the US regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), launched its own investigation into the matter.
When pressed by MPs on whether the documentary had tarnished Mr Trump's image, Mr Prescott responded cautiously, noting the potential legal action. He finally conceded, Probably not, when asked directly if the President's reputation had been harmed.
Broader Implications for the BBC
Mr Prescott was keen to emphasise that his motives were not politically driven. I am a strong supporter of the BBC, he told the committee, adding that he acted out of concern for the corporation's standards. He insisted he would have acted identically if the subject had been Kamala Harris, demonstrating a commitment to editorial principles over party politics.
The fallout from the report and the subsequent leak of his memo was significant. BBC chairman Samir Shah apologised for an error of judgment, acknowledging the editing gave the false impression of a direct call for violent action.
Despite this apology, Mr Trump vowed to proceed with legal action, valuing his claim at anywhere between one billion and five billion dollars. In a dramatic turn of events, BBC director-general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness resigned following the report becoming public. Mr Prescott later commented that while Mr Davie did a first-rate job, he had a blind spot towards editorial failings. The search for a new director-general is now underway, with the position advertised on the BBC Careers website.
