The BBC is expected to apologise on Monday for editing a speech that suggested Donald Trump had directly instigated an attack on the US Capitol, resulting in the dramatic resignations of the broadcaster’s top brass.
Director General Tim Davie and the BBC News CEO Deborah Turness stepped down on Sunday after accusations that a documentary by its flagship Panorama programme had used a misleading edit of Trump’s speech.
BBC chair Samir Shah, who said it was a “sad day for the BBC”, was due to explain on Monday to parliament’s culture, media and sport committee.
The state-funded broadcaster has been accused of biased coverage by different ideological camps in recent years, including over its coverage of the war in Gaza.
While Trump celebrated the resignations, accusing the BBC’s journalists of being “corrupt” and “dishonest”, Turness insisted in her leaving note that “allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong”.
The shake-up also comes as the UK government is set to begin reviewing the BBC’s Royal Charter, which outlines the corporation’s governance and public mission.
The current charter ends in 2027 and will need to be renewed, with Davie adding he hoped a new chief would “positively shape” the next iteration, which will need to secure substantial funding to guarantee the BBC’s long-term future
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who previously called the allegations of bias “incredibly serious”, said a review of the charter by the UK government will help the BBC “adapt to this new era”.
While some critics see the resignations as a timely reckoning for the once-beloved state institution, others have suggested they are a result of duress from right-wing detractors and the United States.
Former conservative prime minister Boris Johnson threatened to stop paying his BBC licence fee, while current Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed the resignations following a “catalogue of serious failures”.
But Liberal Democrats party leader Ed Davey urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to tell Trump to “keep his hands off” the BBC.
“It’s easy to see why Trump wants to destroy the world’s number one news source,” said Davey. “We can’t let him”.
It could take several months to find a replacement for Davie, who earned the moniker of “Teflon Tim” for his ability to bounce back from scandals.
