Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC in a letter following the editing of his speech in a Panorama episode, BBC News has reported.
BBC chairman Samir Shah said earlier that they had received communication from the US president, adding: “We are now considering how to reply to him.”
Asked whether Mr Trump had said he would sue over the documentary Trump: A Second Chance?, Mr Shah said: “I do not know that yet, but he’s a litigious fellow so we should be prepared for all outcomes.”
Mr Trump has filed defamation lawsuits against media companies before, most notably the New York Times.
Mr Shah has apologised after a leaked memo raised concerns that viewers had been misled by how a speech Trump gave on January 6 2021 was edited.
Director general Tim Davie and the CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday over the episode, which aired the week before the US elections last year.
The US president himself welcomed the departures and claimed there had been an attempt to “step on the scales of a presidential election”.
Key Points
- Trump threatens legal action against BBC
- BBC chair apologises for 'error of judgement'
- Claims resignations were 'an inside job'
- There is 'no institutional bias' at the BBC, Turness insists
- White House mocks Davie after departure
Trump threatens legal action against BBC
13:48 , Athena StavrouDonald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC in a letter, BBC News has reported.
The BBC chair earlier told BBC News that they had received communication from President Trump, adding: “We are now considering how to reply to him.”
Asked if Mr Trump has said he will be suing the BBC, Mr Shah said: “I do not know that yet, but he’s a litigious fellow so we should be prepared for all outcomes.”
Trump has filed defamation lawsuits against media companies before, most notably the New York Times.
PM: BBC is not institutionally biased
13:31 , Athena StavrouThe prime minister has rejected claims the BBC is “institutionally biased”.
It is understood that No 10 was told yesterday that the senior resignations seen at the broadcaster were imminent.
As Downing Street hit back at claims by US President Donald Trump and other critics of the BBC, the PM's official spokesman told reporters: “On the question of is the BBC corrupt?: No.
“The BBC has a vital role in an age of disinformation... where there's a clear argument for a robust, impartial British news service to deliver, and that case is stronger than ever.
“I think I've already addressed some of the comments that have been made over the last 24 hours, but we are of the view that it's important that the BBC acts swiftly to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur.”
The spokesman was also asked if Sir Keir Starmer believed the BBC was institutionally biased, and replied: “No, but it is important that the BBC acts to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur, because as I say, for any public service broadcaster, accountability is vital to maintain trust.”
BBC chair 'does not know' if Trump will sue BBC
13:25 , Athena StavrouThe BBC chair has said he does not know whether Donald Trump will sue the BBC, as he said the corporation had been contacted by the US president.
Samir Shah has told BBC News they are “considering how to reply” to communication received from President Trump.
Asked if Mr Trump has said he will be suing the BBC, Mr Shah said: “I do not know that yet, but he’s a litigious fellow so we should be prepared for all outcomes.”
Trump has filed defamation lawsuits against media companies before, most notably the New York Times.
'Simply not true' that memo 'uncovered' issues at BBC
13:05 , Athena StavrouBBC chair Samir Shah has defended the broadcaster, saying it is “simply not true” that the leaked memo “uncovered” issues.
The memo, written by a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, Michael Prescott, raised concerns of institutional bias.
But Mr Shah denied that the BBC has sought to “bury” these issues.
He said in a letter to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee: “There is another view that has gained currency in the coverage that the BBC has done nothing to tackle these problems.
“That is also simply not true.”
Analysis: Letter from the BBC chairman unlikely to be end of the issue
12:57 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Dr Samir Shah’s apologetic letter to the Commons’ culture, media and sport select committee seems unlikely to satisfy members.
The Independent understands that there had been some concerns that he had not already offered to come and address them prior to Tim Davies’ resignation as director general.
Now the committee is set to meet tomorrow in private ahead of hearing evidence from Michael Prescott, the author of the memo which has plunged the BBC into its latest scandal.
Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage has told The Independent that the committee will “discuss next steps”.
But that is set to include demands that Dr Shah and other senior figures from the Corporation come and give an account of what has happened, including claims that Mr Davie was the victim of an internal coup.
Over 500 complaints received since memo leak
12:48 , Athena StavrouIn his letter to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Monday, BBC chair Samir Shah said the corporation had received hundreds of complaints since Michael Prescott’s memo was leaked.
The report was published by The Telegraph, and raised concerns about bias in a Panorama episode in which a speech by Donald Trump was spliced.
He said: “Since the publication of Mr Prescott’s memo, this issue has led to over 500 complaints. These are now being dealt with in the normal way.”
BBC chair apologises for 'error of judgement'
12:28 , Athena StavrouBBC chair Samir Shah has said the corporation would like to “apologise for that error of judgment” over the editing of a speech by Donald Trump for Panorama.
Mr Shah, who was responding to a letter from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS), said there have been more than 500 complaints since the publication of the memo, adding: “We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
Farage says BBC has been 'institutionally biased for decades'
12:23 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Caitlin Doherty reports:
Nigel Farage has said that the BBC has been “institutionally biased for decades” and called on the corporation to “get a grip” and hire “somebody in from the outside” in the hunt for a new director general.
Speaking at a press conference in central London, the Reform UK leader also claimed that he had spoken with US President Donald Trump about the matter.“
“I actually spoke to the president on Friday. He just said to me: ‘Is this how you treat your best ally?’” he said.
“It’s quite a powerful comment.”
He also suggested that there could be a surge in the number of people not wanting to pay the licence fee.
“If the BBC doesn’t now get a grip, get somebody in from the outside, somebody who has got a history and a culture of changing organisations, of turning them around, then I think what you would see within the next couple of years are many, many millions just refusing, just not wanting to have the licence fee,” he said.
What did the leaked memo say?
12:09 , Athena StavrouTim Davie’s resignation comes after an explosive memo accusing the BBC of bias was leaked last week.
The report by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, was published in full by The Telegraph, sparking intense reaction and criticism.
Here are some key things it included:
• The Panorama documentary Trump: A Second Chance? was “seemed to be taking a distinctly anti-Trump stance” and had “materially misled viewers”.
• The memo said several members of staff had shared concerns about the BBC’s coverage of transgender issues. He said there had been stories “celebrating the trans experience without adequate balance or objectivity”.
• Prescott said there had been a “selection bias” in favour of certain stories being sent as push notifications to the BBC app. The memo says there was a bias against sending stories about migration and asylum seekers.
• He also said there had been “ill-researched” stories about racism, including a BBC Verify story about a correlation between higher car insurance premiums in ethnically diverse areas. The story has now been removed.
• Prescott highlighted concerns of biased reporting on the BBC’s Arabic service and in other coverage of Gaza.
Ed Davey: Britain must defend the BBC against Trump
11:45 , Athena StavrouEd Davey has written fellow party leaders from across the political spectrum, asking them to join him in defending the BBC from Donald Trump.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats penned a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, urging them to condemn the US president.
Mr Davey said: “The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together.”
I’ve written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage urging them to condemn Donald Trump’s attack on the BBC.
— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) November 10, 2025
The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together. pic.twitter.com/MBexY9ZM1x
BBC Panorama Trump speech edit was ‘designed to deceive’, says Andrew Marr
11:30 , Athena StavrouBBC suffers from 'bunker mentality' in crisis
11:20 , Athena StavrouA former controller of BBC One has said the broadcaster has a “habit” of “playing dead” while in crisis.
Peter Fincham told BBC Radio 5 Live: “One of the BBC’s worst habits is to think it’ll be alright to play dead.”
He added: “This report came in May, and they didn’t do anything about it.”
Analysis: Tim Davie resignation is the culmination of a culture war decade
11:09 , David MaddoxThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Sniping over BBC impartiality is not new and has been an issue since the 1980s but things really came into sharp focus during the EU referendum in 2016.
The coverage of that historic vote and subsequent balance of Brexit coverage led to a sustained onslaught over whether the BBC is impartial or not.
While this came mostly from the rightwing press, supporters of Jeremy Corbyn when he was Labour leader and more recently the Greens have also joined in the attacks from the far left.
The issues only heated up during the tenure of Tim Davie as director general from the moment he took over in 2020.
Issues like the coverage of the Middle East War and treatment of Israel took over from Brexit as sticks to beat the BBC with. And Mr Davie’s trip to Glastonbury as the Corporation was covering Bob Vylan’s “death to the IDF” performance live did not help.
While some think Mr Davis is the victim of a coup his head has been on the chopping block since his bungled handling of the Gary Lineker controversy over his political tweets, briefly suspending the former Match of the Day presenter before being forced to U-turn.
The truth though is that the culture war attacks on the BBC are not going to end with Mr Davie’s departure and will hang over the next charter negotiations being conducted by the Corporation and a deeply unpopular Labour government.
BBC chairman expected to apologise today
11:00 , Athena StavrouBBC chairman Samir Shah is expected to apologise over the way a speech by Donald Trump was edited for Panorama episode last year.
Mr Shah is expected to apologise and provide further details on the documentary, Trump: A Second Chance? on Monday in his response to the Culture Media and Sport Committee which asked how he would address the concerns.
Mr Shah said Sunday was a “sad day” for the BBC while committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage said Mr Davie’s resignation was “regrettable” but “restoring trust in the corporation must come first”.
BBC row has raised new questions about Kemi Badenoch
10:45 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reported:
Kemi Badenoch’s future as Tory leader has come back into focus again amid repercussions over the BBC scandal which saw the departure of Tim Davie as director general.
The Independent has learnt that the Tory leader decided not to follow advice to call for Mr Davie to quit when she held a press conference shortly after the allegations over Panorama’s treatment of the Donald Trump January 6 speech emerged.
Instead Ms Badenoch agreed with other advice that she needed to focus on the economy but her decision has angered some in the party.
One MP said: “She had an opportunity to lead on this BBC story and own forcing Davie out. It would have really helped show those who are tempted by Reform that we are changed and serious but she didn’t do it.”
It comes after The Independent revealed earlier this month that supporters of Robert Jenrick are giving her until May next year to turn things around or face a coup.
Watch: Outgoing CEO of BBC News says 'mistakes are made' after she quit over Trump speech edits
10:30 , Rebecca Whittaker'It feels like a coup,' BBC source says
10:20 , Rebecca WhittakerTim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and the head of BBC News Deborah Turness, have resigned.
Davie said his departure was “entirely my decision”, but sources within Turness’ former department said “It feels like a coup,” The Guardian reported.
“This is the result of a campaign by political enemies of the BBC,” it added.
What did Trump say in his speech and what was it edited to?
10:15 , Rebecca WhittakerBBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness have resigned from the BBC after a clip of a Donald Trump speech was edited for a Panorama documentary last year.
This is what he said in his speech on 6 January 2021:
"We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer our brave senators and congressmen and women."
50 minutes later, in the same speech, he said: "I'll be with you. And we fight. Fight like hell."
This is how it appeared in the Panorama edit:
"We're going to walk down to the Capitol […] and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell."
'It was a coup, and worse than that, it was an inside job,' says former newspaper editor
10:05 , Rebecca WhittakerThe resignations of the BBC’s director-general and its head of news was “a coup”, a former newspaper editor has said.
David Yelland, who edited The Sun from 1998 to 2003, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the departure of director-general Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, was “an inside job”.
He said: “It was a coup, and worse than that, it was an inside job.
“There were people inside the BBC, very close to the board, very close to the, on the board, who have systematically undermined Tim Davie and his senior team over a period of (time) and this has been going on for a long time. What happened yesterday didn’t just happen in isolation.”
He also described Mr Davie’s resignation as “a failure of governance”.
“What has happened here is there was a failure of governance,” he said.
“I don’t blame the chairman (Samir Shah) as an individual, but the job of the chair of any organisation, a company – including the BBC – is to keep their CEO, their top man or woman, in post or fire them.
“And that has not happened, because Tim Davie was not fired. He walked and so there was, that is the definition of a failure of governance.”
The BBC 'fails to tell the truth on everything', claims Liz Truss
10:00 , Rebecca WhittakerLiz Truss has welcomed the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness and claimed the BBC “fails to tell the truth on everything”.
“I'm glad the US President and the rest of the world are seeing the BBC for what it is,” The former prime minister said in a post on X.
“Its failure to tell the truth on everything from transgender ideology to economics to Gaza has done huge damage to politics and government in this country.
“This should be the end of nationalised broadcasting.”
I'm glad the US President and the rest of the world are seeing the BBC for what it is.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) November 9, 2025
Its failure to tell the truth on everything from transgender ideology to economics to Gaza has done huge damage to politics and government in this country.
This should be the end of… pic.twitter.com/3pnUAZojnc
There is 'no institutional bias' says Deborah Turness
09:49 , Rebecca WhittakerOutgoing BBC News CEO Deborah Turness has said there is “no institutional bias” at the BBC and she stands by the journalism of her team.
Speaking to reporters outside Broadcasting House, she said: "I would like to say it has been the privilege of my career to serve as the CEO of BBC News and to work with our brilliant team of journalists."
"I stepped down over the weekend because the buck stops with me. But I'd like to make one thing very clear, BBC News is not institutionally biased. That's why it's the world's most trusted news provider."
On President Trump's comments she says: "Of course our journalists aren't corrupt. Our journalists are hardworking people who strive for impartiality and I will stand by their journalism."
What happened in the week before Davie's resignation?
09:45 , Rebecca WhittakerThe BBC had been expected to apologise on Monday following concerns about impartiality, including how a speech by US President Donald Trump was edited in an episode of Panorama.
A clip within the programme Trump: A Second Chance?, which was broadcast by the BBC the week before last year’s US election, spliced clips together from sections of the US president’s speech on 6 January 2021 to make it appear he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to “fight like hell”.
It underlined concerns about impartiality within the broadcaster, which has been accused of bias by groups from across the political spectrum.
The Telegraph reported on Tuesday that a memo by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, had raised concerns over impartiality in the summer.
The Culture Secretary told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “I have discussed the range of issues that were raised in the email that was leaked to the BBC.
“It isn’t just about the Panorama programme, although that is incredibly serious.
The BBC has bigger impartiality problems than its coverage of Trump
09:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe BBC is facing allegations of bias over its coverage of Trump and Israel, writes Alan Rusbridger. But it is the entire governance structure – rather than individual stories – that should cause the most concern.
Read more here:
The BBC has bigger impartiality problems than its coverage of Trump
BBC’s board should face scrutiny in Parliament before being appointed, says former controller of BBC Radio 4
09:20 , Rebecca WhittakerMembers of the BBC’s board should face scrutiny in Parliament before being appointed, a former controller of BBC Radio 4 has said.
Mark Damazer told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, “we know too little” about non-executive directors at the corporation.
“I think that those members of the board who want to be on the board, as it were, non-executive directors, ought each and every one of them come up for parliamentary scrutiny and be made to sing for their supper before they’re appointed, because we know too little about them,” Mr Damazer said.
“I don’t think they’re properly interrogated before they take these posts. Now that at least is a reform that should be carried out.
“But I don’t think the whole thing is about governance. It’s about trying to be proportionate and reasonable and calibrate successfully the BBC errors, because there are, and the Trump one clearly was, and weigh that in the balance against the all round excellence and quality of what the BBC does.”
Former Ofcom regulator says he didn't expect the resignations to happen so quickly
09:00 , Rebecca WhittakerFormer regulator at Ofcom, Stewart Purvis, didn’t expect the resignations to come so quickly.
"There were so many roars going on inside the BBC board with the news management that they couldn't agree this statement," he told Sky News.
"That's why we've waited a week for the statement."
He explained that Deborah Turness may have realised she no longer had the support of the board.
"I suspect Tim Davie thought it might be an appropriate moment to get out as well," he added.
Davie quitting was a 'very avoidable course of action', says chair of Culture, Media and Sport Committee
09:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe chairwoman of the Parliament committee set to receive a response from the BBC’s chairman has said she is “very sad” about director-general Tim Davie’s resignation, but said he “ignored” issues raised in Michael Prescott’s report.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Mr Davie quitting was a “very avoidable course of action”.
“I’m very sad about Tim Davie stepping down. I think he was an effective leader at the BBC. I think he was a great champion for public service media, but there is no escaping the fact that he was very slow to act on this particular issue. But this isn’t the first time and on this particular issue, Michael Prescott’s report, he just didn’t take it seriously until it was too late.
“He should have reacted with concern and examined the claims, but just ignored it.
“But you know, I do feel it was entirely avoidable and it’s really regretful given the huge commitment to the BBC and public service that Tim Davie demonstrated.”
She added that she thinks it seems “a little bit odd” that her committee has not yet heard from the BBC’s chairman, Samir Shah.
Gordon Brown says BBC should have 'apologised instantly'
08:45 , Rebecca WhittakerFormer prime minister Gordon Brown said Tim Davie and Deborah Turness should have apologised instantly.
Speaking on Sky News he said: “You've got to be trusted, and I think the problem that the BBC has had is this happened a year ago, and an apology should be made instantly if a mistake has been made, you've got to apologise instantly.”
"Then I don't think Tim Davie or the head of news would have had to resign because they would have corrected the mistake immediately.”
He added that instead it went “unreported” and “unacknowledged”.
'There are a lot of people who want to attack the BBC,' says former Downing Street communications chief
08:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe BBC’s board has not properly defended the corporation, a former Downing Street communications chief has suggested.
Sir Craig Oliver, who is also a former BBC news executive, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the problems at the corporation “matter”, adding “the BBC is an enormous institution with a huge impact on British life”.
“What I think has gone wrong here, I think is really an issue of the governance of the institution,” Sir Craig said.
“We’re living in a fast-moving digital world where there are a lot of people who want to attack the BBC, and what we’ve seen is really a vacuum that has been created.
“It’s been obvious for days now that the BBC needed to step up, explain, apologise, move on.
“And what we’ve seen is the governance of the BBC saying, ‘we’ll get back to you on Monday – we’ll leave that for days. We’ll allow the President of the United States to be attacking the institution, and we’re not going to properly defend it’.”
Important that BBC represents ‘full spectrum’ of views, says minister
08:20 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports...
A minister has said it is “fundamentally important” that the BBC represents the “full spectrum” of views.
Speaking to Sky News, defence minister Louise Sandher-Jones said: “One thing I’ve found really interesting as a constituency MP is I meet such a broad range of people who have such a broad range of views.”
She later added: “It’s absolutely fundamentally important that the BBC as our national broadcaster represents the full spectrum of those views.
“I think that is quite a challenging thing to do, but nonetheless it’s an incredibly important duty, which I know it seeks to uphold across all of its wide wide range of programming.”
Asked whether she does think the corporation does reflect those views, Ms Sandher-Jones said: “I think on the whole it does.”
Watch: Former BBC TV News head says Tim Davies role was 'too big a job for one person'
08:08 , Rebecca Whittaker'The BBC remains one of the few institutions standing between our British values and a populist, Trump-style takeover of our politics,' says Lib Dem leader
08:00 , Rebecca WhittakerLeader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, has said we must “stand up for a free press” and “free speech”, responding to news that the BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness have resigned.
“The BBC isn’t perfect, but it remains one of the few institutions standing between our British values and a populist, Trump-style takeover of our politics,” he said.
"The resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness must be an opportunity for the BBC to turn a new leaf, rebuild trust and not give in to the likes of Nigel Farage who want to destroy it.
"As a public service broadcaster, the BBC’s role is vital in ensuring our democracy is based on facts, scrutiny, and accountability.
"We must stand up for a free press, free speech, and a strong, independent BBC, to stop Trump’s America becoming Farage’s Britain.”
Now Tim Davie and Deborah Turness had resigned 'the BBC will be better' says former Telegraph editor
07:58 , Rebecca WhittakerThe BBC should “take impartiality seriously”, a former editor of The Daily Telegraph has said.
Lord Charles Moore told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that now Tim Davie and Deborah Turness had resigned “this [the BBC] will be better, or if it isn’t better that really is the end of the BBC because now you [the BBC] have the chance to take impartiality seriously”.
He added: “First thing you have to do is admit you’re wrong instead of trying to defend yourself in this ridiculous way.
“All the BBC bias goes in one direction… the memo goes, it could go much, much further, but it’s about trans issues, identity, race, Trump, Israel, Gaza… it’s always from a sort of metropolitan, left position absolutely consistently. That’s how the bias is.
“So that means that it’s not serving a very large percentage of the licence fee-payers.
“I’m not, of course, saying that it should be right-wing either. I’m saying it should take impartiality seriously and put in people capable of running this gigantic and self-satisfied bureaucracy.”
Government minister rejected suggestions the BBC was institutionally biased
07:48 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment minister Louise Sandher-Jones rejected suggestions the BBC was institutionally biased.
The veterans minister told Sky News: “When you look at the huge range of domestic issues, local issues, international issues, that it has to cover, I think its output is very trusted.
“When I speak to people who’ve got very strongly held views on those, they’re still using the BBC for a lot of their information, it’s forming their views on this.
“I think we can all point to elements of BBC broadcasting of news and say ‘well, that reflects my views, and that doesn’t’ and that’s absolutely right, that we should be able to say that.”
Asked about Donald Trump’s comments on the BBC, she said: “President Trump will obviously speak for himself.
“Tim Davie and Deborah Turness have been quite clear that it’s their decision that they’ve stepped down and I note that the board has thanked them for their service and had said that it had supported them.
“But they’ve, as they’ve said, taken accountability for what the BBC has put out. I think it is very important that public figures have accountability.”
The departure of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness was 'an inside job', says ex Sun editor
07:36 , Rebecca WhittakerThe resignations of the BBC’s director-general and its head of news was “a coup”, a former newspaper editor has said.
David Yelland, who edited The Sun from 1998 to 2003, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the departure of director-general Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, was “an inside job”.
He said: “It was a coup, and worse than that, it was an inside job.
“There were people inside the BBC, very close to the board, very close to the, on the board, who have systematically undermined Tim Davie and his senior team over a period of (time) and this has been going on for a long time. What happened yesterday didn’t just happen in isolation.”
He also described Mr Davie’s resignation as “a failure of governance”.
“What has happened here is there was a failure of governance,” he said.
“I don’t blame the chairman (Samir Shah) as an individual, but the job of the chair of any organisation, a company – including the BBC – is to keep their CEO, their top man or woman, in post or fire them.
“And that has not happened, because Tim Davie was not fired. He walked and so there was, that is the definition of a failure of governance.”
Former culture secretary calls on the BBC to ‘get a grip’
07:24 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports...
Former culture secretary Nicky Morgan has welcomed the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness.
She told the Independent the pair had been “right” to resign.
She added: “The question is what the BBC Board does now to get a grip of the underlying situation.”
Institutional bias cannot be swept away by resignations, says Badenoch
07:00 , Alex CroftConservative leader Kemi Badenoch has welcomed the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness.
But she adds that the resignations are alone are not enough to address what she describes as “institutional bias” at the BBC.
“It’s right that Tim Davie and Deborah Turness have finally taken responsibility and resigned from the BBC,” Ms Badenoch said.
“But let’s be honest, this has been a catalogue of serious failures that runs far deeper. The Prescott report exposed institutional bias that cannot be swept away with two resignations - strong action must be taken on all the issues it raised.
“The culture at the BBC has not yet changed. BBC Arabic must be brought under urgent control. The BBC’s US and Middle East coverage needs a full overhaul. And on basic matters of biology, the corporation can no longer allow its output to be shaped by a cabal of ideological activists.
“The new leadership must now deliver genuine reform of the culture of the BBC, top to bottom - because it should not expect the public to keep funding it through a compulsory licence fee unless it can finally demonstrate true impartiality.”
Donald Trump’s press secretary celebrates after Tim Davie resigns as BBC director-general
06:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe White House press secretary has mocked the BBC following Tim Davie’s resignation as director-general.
Mr Davie resigned on Sunday evening, along with CEO of News Deborah Turness, following criticism that a BBC Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by US president Donald Trump.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted screenshots of two news articles, one showing Trump criticising the BBC, captioned “shot”, and another regarding Tim Davie’s resignation, captioned “chaser”.
The BBC had been expected to apologise on Monday following concerns about impartiality, including how a speech by US president Donald Trump was edited in an episode of Panorama.
Read more here:
Trump’s press secretary celebrates after Tim Davie resigns as BBC director-general
Who are Tim Davie and Deborah Turness?
06:01 , Alex CroftTim Davie, 58, was appointed as BBC director-general in September 2020.
A former Conservative Party candidate for council elections in the 1990s, Mr Davie first joined the BBC as a marketing director in April 2005.
He became Director of Audio & Music in 2008, sitting on the BBC’s Executive Board, before he took over as acting director-general in November 2012. He held this position until April 2013, when Tony Hall was appointed.
He served as chief executive of BBC Studios before becoming director-general in a permanent capacity.
Deborah Turness had been CEO of BBC News since 2022, where she oversaw the broadcaster’s news and current affairs output.
She was responsible for a team of around 6,000 people, broadcasting to almost half a billion people worldwide in more than 40 languages.
Ms Turness previously served as president of NBC News and CEO of ITN.
BBC set to apologise over edited Trump speech – as minister says decisions ‘not always well thought through’
05:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe BBC is set to apologise for editing a speech made by US president Donald Trump in a Panorama episode after facing a backlash – as a government minister said decisions at the broadcaster are “not always well thought through”.
The corporation was accused of misleading viewers in a Panorama episode by selectively editing a speech made by Mr Trump ahead of the Capitol riots in 2021, according to a leaked memo.
The spliced footage showed Mr Trump urging his supporters to “fight like hell” before the riots, but omitted a section where he told the crowd “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard”.
BBC chair Samir Shah is expected to apologise for the editing choice, in response to a request from parliament’s culture, media and sport committee, which said that there were “serious questions to answer”.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC chairman will provide a full response to the culture, media and sport committee on Monday.”
Read more here:
BBC to apologise over edited Trump speech after backlash
Analysis | Criticism of the BBC is out of proportion - all media organisations screw
05:01 , Alex CroftFormer editor of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, writes in The Independent before Tim Davie’s resignation:
Let’s accept that someone at the BBC made a clumsy error in editing some clips of Donald Trump addressing the crowd on 6 January 2021. And let’s acknowledge that the BBC has known for some time that there have been problems with aspects of its Arabic service. Worst-kept secret in the world: all media organisations occasionally screw up.
The Telegraph – which has revealed the BBC’s latest problems – is no more immune to making mistakes than any other news outlet. The difference is that, when its own editorial, ownership and ethical failings come to light, it doesn’t register nine on the Richter scale of public and political outrage. That’s reserved for the BBC.
Fair enough, you might say. We all contribute to the BBC’s journalism through the licence fee, and it enjoys a somewhat protected status within the UK’s media environment. That’s true. But the venom spat at the BBC on a near-daily basis by its ideological and commercial enemies is out of all proportion to its occasional lapses.
By all means, let’s have a debate about Prescott’s “dossier”, preferably unfiltered by The Telegraph. But let’s keep a sense of proportion about it all. And let’s find a governance structure for the BBC that equips it to handle complex editorial decisions robustly and expertly. The BBC is in a mess – but not necessarily the mess you think.
Tim Davie’s statement to BBC staff in full as director-general steps down after Trump row
04:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarTim Davie is set to step down as director-general of the BBC, he has announced.
His decision follows recent concerns over the corporation's impartiality, specifically regarding the editing of a speech by US President Donald Trump in a Panorama episode, raised this week.
Mr Davie confirmed his departure would not be immediate, stating he is "working through" timings to ensure an "orderly transition" over the coming months.
The BBC said Davie sent a statement to staff which said: “I wanted to let you know that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years.
“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.
Read more here:
Tim Davie’s statement to BBC staff in full as director-general steps down
Davie was once BBC’s highest-paid executive, making £642,000 in 2019
04:17 , Maroosha MuzaffarTim Davie, who resigned as BBC director general, was once the corporation’s highest-paid executive.
In 2019, while leading BBC Studios, he earned £642,000 a year, more than his predecessor Tony Hall’s £475,000.
When Davie took over as director general in 2020, he initially accepted Hall’s salary before it was raised to £525,000 in 2021.
Critical moment for the BBC, says union boss
04:00 , Alex CroftPhilippa Childs, head of Bectu which represents workers in broadcasting and digital media, said: “Tim Davie has steered the BBC through some difficult times, and I thank him for his work to defend the corporation and support staff in a time of declining budgets, especially his work on the BBC’s Culture Review.
“This is a critical moment for the BBC as we head into a charter renewal process, and it is essential that this post is quickly filled with someone similarly committed to public service broadcasting who can champion the BBC’s mission, values and political independence.
“The BBC is a central pillar of our cultural ecosystem, the new director-general will have a huge role not only in leading the corporation and its many talented staff, but in driving forwards the wider creative industries which benefit from a strong and bold BBC.”
Reminder: BBC set to apologise over edited Trump speech
Sunday 9 November 2025 20:35 , Alex CroftLet’s take a look at our earlier report that the BBC was set to apologise for editing a speech made by US president Donald Trump in a Panorama episode after facing a backlash.
The corporation was accused of misleading viewers in a Panorama episode by selectively editing a speech made by Mr Trump ahead of the Capitol riots in 2021, according to a leaked memo.
The spliced footage showed Mr Trump urging his supporters to “fight like hell” before the riots, but omitted a section where he told the crowd “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard”.
BBC chair Samir Shah is expected to apologise for the editing choice, in response to a request from parliament’s culture, media and sport committee, which said that there were “serious questions to answer”.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC chairman will provide a full response to the culture, media and sport committee on Monday.”
BBC to apologise over edited Trump speech after backlash
Critical moment for the BBC, says union boss
Sunday 9 November 2025 20:23 , Alex CroftPhilippa Childs, head of Bectu which represents workers in broadcasting and digital media, said: “Tim Davie has steered the BBC through some difficult times, and I thank him for his work to defend the corporation and support staff in a time of declining budgets, especially his work on the BBC’s Culture Review.
“This is a critical moment for the BBC as we head into a charter renewal process, and it is essential that this post is quickly filled with someone similarly committed to public service broadcasting who can champion the BBC’s mission, values and political independence.
“The BBC is a central pillar of our cultural ecosystem, the new director-general will have a huge role not only in leading the corporation and its many talented staff, but in driving forwards the wider creative industries which benefit from a strong and bold BBC.”
'Nothing short of a coup': BBC Radio 4 presenter reacts furiously
Sunday 9 November 2025 18:59 , Alex CroftA BBC Radio 4 presenter has blasted “hostile” actors for what he described as “nothing short of a coup” following Tim Davie’s resignation announcement.
“What has happened today at the BBC is nothing short of a coup, a national disgrace, “ said David Yelland, who is also the former editor of The Sun.
“The corporation's board has effectively been undermined and elements close to it have worked with hostile newspaper editors, a former PM and enemies of public service broadcasting,” he added.
“The only honourable players here are Tim Davie and Deborah Turness.”
White House mocks Davie after resignation from BBC
Sunday 9 November 2025 18:54 , Alex CroftWe’ve just heard from White House press secretary, who has appeared to mock the broadcaster in a post on X.
Karoline Leavitt posted screenshots of two news articles, one showing Trump criticising the BBC for “fake news” and another regarding Tim Davie’s resignation.
The first screenshot was marked “shot” and the second one “chaser”.
Shot: Chaser: pic.twitter.com/n0U08PnUJb
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) November 9, 2025