By Jacki Thrapp
The head of the BBC and its top news executive resigned on Nov 9 after the broadcaster was accused of misleading viewers by editing President Donald Trump’s speech on Jan. 6, 2021.
The BBC confirmed it was cutting ties with Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness in a series of statements on Nov. 9.
“I wanted to let you know that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years,” Davie wrote in a letter to staff members on Nov. 9.
“This is entirely my decision, and I remain very thankful to the Chair and Board for their unswerving and unanimous support throughout my entire tenure, including during recent days.”
Davie, who worked at the BBC for 20 years, did not announce when he would leave his post but said in a statement that he will help bring in a successor.
“In these increasingly polarised times, the BBC is of unique value and speaks to the very best of us. It helps make the UK a special place; overwhelmingly kind, tolerant and curious. Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable,” Davie said.
“While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision. Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
BBC Chairman Samir Shah said Davie has been an “outstanding Director-General” for the past five years.
Turness commented on the scandal in her resignation letter sent to staff on Nov. 9.
“The ongoing controversy around the Panorama on President Trump has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC—an institution that I love,” Turness wrote.
“As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me—and I took the decision to offer my resignation to the Director-General last night.”
“Panorama” is the BBC’s flagship news program.
Turness continued: “In public life leaders need to be fully accountable, and that is why I am stepping down. While mistakes have been made, I want to be absolutely clear [that] recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.”
The news corporation was accused of selectively editing the speech Trump made on the day of the 2021 U.S. Capitol breach in its broadcast on Oct. 28, 2024, titled “Donald Trump: A Second Chance?”
The “Panorama” episode, which aired one week before the 2024 presidential election, spliced together two clips from the speech, creating the impression that Trump said, “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be with you / and we fight, we fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country anymore.”
The BBC was accused of editing the separate remarks to mislead viewers.
Trump actually said: “We are gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be with you. I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
The president reacted to the resignations in a Truth Social post on Sunday afternoon.
“The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught ‘doctoring’ my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th,” he wrote.
“Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’ These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!”
