The BBC has been thrown into turmoil following the resignation of its Director-General, Tim Davie, and CEO of News, Deborah Turness, after allegations of political bias over the editing of a Donald Trump speech in a Panorama documentary.
The controversy, which erupted last week, has intensified following Trump’s accusation that the broadcaster tried to “step on the scales of a presidential election.”
The programme, Trump: A Second Chance?, allegedly edited parts of Trump’s January 6, 2021, address, giving the impression that he had directly encouraged the Capitol riots.
Arriving at Broadcasting House in London on Monday, Ms Turness hit back at Trump’s claims, insisting that the BBC is not institutionally biased.
“Mistakes are made,” she admitted, “but there is no institutional bias at the BBC.”
BBC Chairman Samir Shah is expected to issue an apology to lawmakers and the public, providing further clarification about how the editing error occurred.
The scandal comes amid growing criticism of the broadcaster’s neutrality and editorial standards.
According to The Daily Telegraph, an internal BBC document written by a former standards adviser cited multiple editorial lapses, including the misleading edit in the Panorama episode.
The report added that the incident “damaged public trust” at a critical time, just weeks before the U.S. presidential election.
Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, did not hold back in her reaction.
She described the BBC as “100% fake news”and a “propaganda machine.”
The U.S. president welcomed the resignations, claiming they proved “the people are waking up to media corruption.”
In his resignation statement, Davie said his decision was voluntary but admitted the role had become increasingly demanding.
“This is entirely my decision, and I remain thankful to the Chair and Board for their unswerving support throughout my entire tenure,” he said. “I have been reflecting on the very intense personal and professional demands of managing this role over many years in these febrile times.”
He added that he wanted to give his successor time to shape the upcoming BBC Charter renewal.
Davie is expected to remain in post for several months until a replacement is appointed.
Meanwhile, critics argue that the resignations mark a pivotal moment for the BBC, which has faced repeated accusations of bias.
