BBC Director General Resigns Over Controversial Trump Documentary
Davie and BBC head of news resign after claims of misleading edits spark accusations of bias
- BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness resign over Trump documentary controversy
- The documentary allegedly misrepresented Trump’s January 6 speech, prompting accusations of bias
- UK Culture Minister calls the allegations “incredibly serious”; BBC to respond to Parliament on Monday
The BBC’s Director General, Tim Davie, announced his resignation on Sunday following a controversy over the editing of a Panorama documentary about US President Donald Trump.
Deborah Turness, the broadcaster’s head of news, also stepped down amid the fallout.
The resignations come after accusations that the documentary misleadingly edited a January 6, 2021, Trump speech, making it appear as though he instructed supporters to march to the US Capitol “and fight like hell.” In reality, Trump urged the audience to walk with him “and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”
In a statement posted on the BBC website, Davie said: “Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable… While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision. I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
The controversy follows reports that concerns about impartiality were initially raised during the summer in a memo by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee. UK Culture, Media and Sport Minister Lisa Nandy described the allegations as “incredibly serious” and noted that they are part of broader concerns over editorial bias at the corporation.
The Trump edit was part of the documentary Trump: A Second Chance?, broadcast the week before last year’s US election. It is the latest in a string of BBC controversies, including sanctions over a February programme, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which was found to be “materially misleading.”
The BBC has promised a full response to Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Monday.
