Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the BBC must fight to restore trust after criticism that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump.
She said a review of the broadcaster’s charter would ensure a “genuinely accountable” BBC, defending it as a “national institution”.
BBC director general Tim Davie earlier told staff “we’ve got to fight for our journalism” after the US president’s threat to sue the corporation for $1bn (£760m).
A leaked internal BBC memo said the Panorama film misled viewers by splicing together parts of Trump’s speech on 6 January 2021 and made it appear as if he had explicitly encouraged the Capitol Hill riot. BBC chair Samir Shah has apologised.
Davie resigned on Sunday alongside BBC News CEO Deborah Turness after mounting pressure over that memo, which was written by Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the broadcaster’s editorial standards committee.
The memo also accuses the BBC of issues within its Gaza coverage, particularly by BBC Arabic, anti-Trump and anti-Israel bias and one-sided transgender reporting – among other “troubling matters”.
Davie told staff on Tuesday: “We have made some mistakes that have cost us, but we need to fight”, adding that “this narrative will not just be given by our enemies, it’s our narrative”.
He said the BBC went through “difficult times… but it just does good work, and that speaks louder than any newspaper, any weaponisation”.
Later on Tuesday, speaking in the Commons, Nandy warned MPs attacking the broadcaster to “consider just what is at stake”.
She told the Commons: “There is a fundamental difference between raising serious concerns over editorial failings and members of this House launching a sustained attack on the institution itself, because the BBC is not just a broadcaster, it is a national institution that belongs to us all.”
She added that the BBC “has faced criticism from all sides for its coverage of highly contentious and contested issues, and [has been] accused of giving too much airtime to particular parties, and for giving them too little”.
The BBC’s charter expires at the end of 2027 and the once-a-decade process of reviewing it is set to begin shortly, which she said would help it “renew its mission for the modern age”.
Nandy said there was a concern over how long the BBC took to respond to criticisms which undermined trust.
She acknowledged “serious concerns and failings” on the part of the BBC Arabic Service, but urged strong support for the World Service, which she said was “a light on the hill for people in places of darkness”.
BBC figures on the corporation’s editorial guidelines and standards committee will face questions at a hearing in the coming weeks.
Shah and board members Sir Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson are expected to attend a session called by the Commons culture, media and sport committee.
Former editorial standards advisers Michael Prescott, the author of the leaked memo, and Caroline Daniel will also be invited to give evidence.
Shadow culture secretary Nigel Huddleston said there are “too many examples of bias” at the BBC and said the corporation required “institutional change”.
In a post on social media on Tuesday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said that while the BBC as an institution “ought to be treasured”, it has “continually let down licence fee payers”.
Watch: Ros Atkins on… how the BBC is run
Trump threatened to take legal action if the BBC did not make a “full and fair retraction” of the Panorama programme by Friday. The corporation has said it will reply in due course.
In the staff call on Tuesday neither Davie nor the BBC chair mentioned Trump’s legal threat.
Downing Street has said this was a “matter for the BBC”.
“It is clearly not for the government to comment on any ongoing legal matters,” the prime minister’s official spokesperson said.
“Our position is clear, the BBC is independent and it’s for the corporation to respond to questions about their editorial decisions.”
Asked whether there were concerns the issue would affect Sir Keir Starmer’s contacts with Trump, the spokesperson said the two had a “very strong” relationship.
The spokesperson would not be drawn on whether the BBC should apologise directly to the president.
LONDON — President Trump’s threat to bring a billion-dollar lawsuit against the BBC has cast a shadow over the British broadcaster’s future, but it could also be a bluff with little legal merit.
The president’s lawyer sent the threat to the BBC over the way a documentary edited his Jan. 6, 2021, speech before a mob of his followers stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Trump’s history of suing news media companies — sometimes winning multimillion-dollar settlements — is part of a long-running grievance against the industry he describes as “fake news” that has often focused a critical eye on his actions.
But Trump faces fundamental challenges to getting a case to court, never mind taking it to trial. He would also have to deal with the harsh glare of publicity around his provocative pep talk the day Congress was voting to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election that Trump falsely alleged was stolen from him.
“If he sues, he opens a Pandora’s box and inside is every damning quote he’s ever uttered about the ‘steal,’” said attorney Mark Stephens, an international media lawyer who practices in the U.S. and U.K.
The BBC documentary
The BBC’s “Panorama” series aired the hourlong documentary titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The third-party production company that made the film spliced together three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.” Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
BBC Chairman Samir Shah apologized Monday for the misleading edit that he said gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
Director-General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness quit Sunday over accusations of bias and misleading editing.
From letter to lawsuit
A lawsuit in England is unlikely because the one-year deadline to bring one expired two weeks ago, experts said. If successful in overcoming that barrier, libel awards in the High Court rarely exceed 100,000 pounds ($132,000), experts said.
Trump could still bring a defamation claim in several U.S. states, and his lawyer cited Florida law in a letter to the BBC.
Filing a lawsuit and demanding money is one thing, but prevailing in court is much different. To succeed, Trump would have to clear many hurdles to get a case before a jury.
Before any of that could happen, Trump faces a more fundamental challenge: The BBC program was not aired in the U.S., and the BBC’s streaming service is also not available there. Americans could not have thought less of him because of a program they could not watch, Stephens said.
“The other ticklish problem for Trump’s lawyer was that Trump’s reputation was already pretty battered after Jan. 6,” he said. “Alleging ‘Panorama’ caused additional harm when your reputation is already in tatters … is a tough sell.”
Trump was impeached on a charge of inciting insurrection over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by some of his supporters, though he was acquitted by the Senate.
The demands
Trump’s lawyer Alejandro Brito threatened the BBC with a defamation lawsuit for “no less than” $1 billion. The letter spelled out the figure and used all nine zeros in numeric form.
The letter demanded an apology to the president and a “full and fair” retraction of the documentary along with other “false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading or inflammatory statements” about Trump.
It also said the president should be “appropriately” compensated for “overwhelming financial and reputational harm.”
The letter cites Florida’s defamation statute that requires a letter be sent to news organizations five days before any lawsuit can be filed.
If the BBC does not comply with the demands by 5 p.m. EST Friday, then Trump will enforce his legal rights, the letter said.
“The BBC is on notice,” it said.
While many legal experts have dismissed the president’s claims against the media as having little chance of success, he has won some lucrative settlements against U.S. media companies.
In July, Paramount, which owns CBS, agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over a “ 60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump alleged that the interview was edited to enhance how Harris, the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, sounded.
That settlement came as the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation that threatened to complicate Paramount’s need for administration approval to merge with Skydance Media.
Last year, ABC News said it would pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos ’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. A jury found that he was liable for sexually abusing her. Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday to throw out that jury’s finding.
Litigation threat could leverage payout
London lawyer David Allen Green dismissed the litigation letter for failing to spell out any actual harm Trump suffered. But he said Trump’s willingness to use lawsuits as a form of deal making could leverage a payout because the edit was indefensible.
“Putting aside the theatrics of a bombastic letter with its senseless $1 billion claim, there is a power play here which Trump has done many times before,” Green said on the Law and Policy Blog. “The real mistake of the BBC (and the production company) was opening itself up to such a play of power.”
Stephens said if Trump were somehow to win billions from the BBC, it could crush the news organization that is mostly funded through a fee charged to all television owners in the U.K.
But he said that outcome was unlikely and the broadcaster should stand its ground. He recommended Trump take the public relations win and avoid the damage from revisiting the Jan. 6 events that would be dredged up at trial.
He said Trump was due an apology, which Shah offered, for the BBC not upholding high journalistic standards.
“The question is, ‘Did it cause harm in people’s minds?’” he said. “Because he was elected afterwards, it doesn’t appear it did.”
LONDON — Britain’s government rallied to the defense of the BBC on Tuesday after allegations of bias from its critics and the threat of a lawsuit from President Trump over the way the broadcaster edited a speech he made after losing the 2020 presidential election
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the national broadcaster faces “challenges, some of its own making,” but is “by far the most widely used and trusted source of news in the United Kingdom.”
With critics in media and politics demanding an overhaul of the BBC’s funding and governance, Nandy said that “the BBC as an institution is absolutely essential to this country.
“At a time when the lines are being dangerously blurred between facts and opinions, news and polemic, the BBC stands apart,” she said in the House of Commons.
Trump threatens to sue
A lawyer for Trump is demanding a retraction, apology and compensation from the broadcaster over the allegedly defamatory sequence in a documentary broadcast last year.
Fallout from the documentary has already claimed the BBC’s top executive, Tim Davie, and head of news Deborah Turness, who both resigned over what the broadcaster called an “error of judgment.”
The BBC has apologized for misleading editing of a speech Trump delivered on Jan. 6, 2021, before a crowd of his supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington.
Broadcast days before the November 2024 U.S. election, the documentary “Trump: A Second Chance?” spliced together three quotes from two sections of the speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.” Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
BBC chair Samir Shah said the broadcaster accepted “that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
The BBC has not yet formally responded to the demand from Florida-based Trump attorney Alejandro Brito that it “retract the false, defamatory, disparaging and inflammatory statements,” apologize and “appropriately compensate President Trump for the harm caused” by Friday, or face legal action for $1 billion in damages.
Nigel Huddleston, media spokesman for the opposition Conservative Party, said the BBC should “provide a fulsome apology to the U.S. president” to avoid legal action.
Legal experts say Trump is likely too late to sue the BBC in Britain, because a one-year deadline to file a defamation suit has expired. He could still bring a defamation claim in several U.S. states, and his lawyer cited Florida law in a letter to the BBC, but faces considerable legal hurdles.
An embattled national institution
The publicly funded BBC is a century-old national institution under growing pressure in an era of polarized politics and changing media viewing habits.
Funded through an annual license fee of 174.50 pounds ($230) paid by all households who watch live TV or any BBC content, the broadcaster is frequently a political football, with conservatives seeing a leftist slant in its news output and some liberals accusing it of having a conservative bias.
Governments of both left and right have long been accused of meddling with the broadcaster, which is overseen by a board that includes both BBC nominees and government appointees.
Some defenders of the BBC allege that board members appointed under previous Conservative governments have been undermining the corporation from within.
Pressure on the broadcaster has been growing since the right-leaning Daily Telegraph published parts of a dossier compiled by Michael Prescott, who had been hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines. As well as the Trump edit, Prescott criticized the BBC’s coverage of transgender issues and raised concerns of anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.
Near the BBC’s London headquarters, some passersby said the scandal would further erode trust in a broadcaster already under pressure.
Amanda Carey, a semi-retired lawyer, said the editing of the Trump speech is “something that should never have happened.”
“The last few scandals that they’ve had, trust in the BBC is very much waning and a number of people are saying they’re going to refuse to pay the license (fee),” she said.
A growing number of people argue that the license fee is unsustainable in a world where many households watch little or no traditional TV.
Nandy said the government will soon start the once-a-decade process of reviewing the BBC’s governing charter, which expires at the end of 2027. She said the government would ensure the BBC is “sustainably funded (and) commands the public’s trust,” but did not say whether the license fee might be scaled back or scrapped.
Davie, who announced his resignation as BBC director-general on Sunday, acknowledged that “we have made some mistakes that have cost us.”
But, he added: “We’ve got to to fight for our journalism.”
Lawless writes for the Associated Press. AP journalist Kwiyeon Ha contributed to this story.
EastEnders fans have been left furious after a online release of a new episode was delayed ahead of a major twist on the long-running BBC soap opera following a dramatic storyline
Okie’s storyline has reached a dramatic conclusion(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
EastEnders fans have been left furious after a online release of a new episode was delayed. Fans of the BBC soap are normally able to catch all the latest Walford action from 6am when it is released on iPlayer, but several complained that their morning routine had been severely disrupted when the latest instalment did not appear.
Warning, this article contains spoilers from Tuesday night’s episode now available on BBC iPlayer.
One fan wrote: “Someone’s messing up my morning routine by forgetting to flip the switch on the 6am iPlayer release of today’s Eastenders,” and a second said: “It’s 9 minutes PAST six where is #eastenders!”
A third raged: “where the f*** is my eastenders?? this is throwing off my morning routine ffs,” whilst a fourth pointed out that more than two hours later, the episode still hadn’t dropped.
They wrote: “Hello @BBCiPlayer, it’s 8.10am you haven’t released today’s episode of Eastenders. What do I pay tv licence for?” Another said: “They didn’t fire everyone at the @BBC did they? Where’s #EastEnders,” and another angry viewer wrote: “No iPlayer release of #EastEnders this morning. Damn it BBC I could have had an extra half an hour in bed this morning.”
Some speculated that the content of the episode could be the reason behind the delay. One said: “I need commissioners to upload Eastenders to iPlayer on time. If not because of sensitive content, please let us know. Some of us start our day at 6am and look forwards to this!”
Another wrote: “I guess something big is happening as no early release, but if it’s the death spoiler that’s already been confirmed then what the point.”
The episode did eventually become available though, and fans were impressed with it despite the delay. One fan wrote: “Best episode in quite a while that one today,” and another said: “Okay I thought tonight’s episode was the first good one in ages!” As the episode progressed, Harry, having left the house to buy drugs, received a message and went to check on friend Koji, who was being held at knife point by Okie.
Harry Mitchell got involved in a violent tussle, and was knocked unconscious but when he came around, he realised that he had accidentally stabbed Okie. He panicked and tried to help Okie but it was too late as he was already dead, and when Harry’s dad Teddy rushed onto the scene, he decided to take the blame for his son.
Just before the credits rolled, Teddy was arrested and was seen being driven off in a police car. The dramatic scenes were part of a conclusion of a cuckooing storyline, which has seen Okie take part in the criminal practice of taking over the home of a vulnerable person with the intent to deal drugs.
Speaking about the storyline, executive producer Ben Wadey said: “At EastEnders, we’re proud to tell stories that reflect the real challenges people face, and Kojo’s cuckooing storyline is one that feels especially important. Cuckooing is a form of exploitation that too often goes unseen and hasn’t featured on EastEnders before.
“Through Kojo’s experience we hope to have shined a light on how easily vulnerable people can be manipulated and isolated – something that can happen in any community, but feels particularly resonant in a city like London, where people live side by side and yet can still slip through the cracks.
“Working closely with experts and charities, our aim has been to tell this story with care and authenticity, and to raise awareness as to how to identify the signs of exploitation and the importance of reaching out for help.”
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
BBC Breakfast hosts Jon Kay and Sarah Campbell shared heartbreaking news on Tuesday
A BBC Breakfast star shared a devastating update after the tragic death of a “trailblazer” on Tuesday (November 11).
During today’s edition of the popular morning show, presenters Jon Kay and Sarah Campbell brought viewers the latest developments from across the UK and beyond.
They were accompanied in the studio by Emma Vardy, who delivered employment and salary updates, whilst Carol Kirkwood provided regular weather bulletins throughout the programme.
Later in the show, Jon and Sarah honoured Dorothy Lawrence, a journalist who masqueraded as a male soldier to reach the frontline during World War I.
“More than a century later, she’s finally received a headstone at her grave in North London,” Jon disclosed, before a moving segment was broadcast, reports the Express.
“Dorothy Lawrence wasn’t just forgotten about. A journalist determined to report from the trenches during the First World War, she was arrested, silenced and committed to an asylum for almost 40 years,” correspondent Tim Muffett revealed.
“During the First World War, women were not allowed to report from the frontline.”
Nevertheless, Dorothy was determined to alter that situation. She purchased a bicycle and travelled across the Channel, befriending British troops during her journey.
The journalist concluded that the only method she’d successfully reach the Western Front was to disguise herself as a man. After a gruelling ten-day stint in the trenches, Dorothy fell “very ill” and was forced to reveal her true identity.
She was promptly arrested, shipped back to Britain and instructed to keep quiet about her experiences until after the war.
“She was gagged until the end of the Armistice, and in 1925, she was put in an asylum, deemed mad, and died there in 1964. That’s not right. I think that’s terrible,” said army veteran Steve Davies.
Dorothy was laid to rest in an unmarked pauper’s grave in what is now New Southgate Cemetery & Crematorium in North London, one of over 40 owned and operated by Westerleigh Group.
Since then, Dorothy’s grave has been restored, with a special ceremony held to pay tribute to the journalist and officially unveil her headstone. As part of this project, Dorothy’s relatives were traced.
“She’s a trailblazer, isn’t she? Frontline female journalist, brave. 40 years confined to a lunatic asylum and died there unrecognised and unknown, no visitors. Very sad and this will make up for it, I hope,” expressed Dorothy’s great niece, Gill Barber.
Former Royal Engineer Angus Donaldson chimed in: “Amazing. She went to extremes to do what she did. We are eternally grateful for her service,” while Cliff Belsey concluded: “[She was] a very brave lady. Great respect… Very emotional and extraordinary.”
US president demands ‘full and fair’ retraction of BBC documentary that prompted resignation of two top executives.
Published On 11 Nov 202511 Nov 2025
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US President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1bn over an edited clip that has plunged the broadcaster into a public relations crisis and prompted the resignations of two top executives.
In a letter sent to the BBC, Trump’s legal team has demanded the retraction of “false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading, and inflammatory statements” contained in a Panorama documentary aired a week before the 2024 US presidential election.
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The letter, written by Trump lawyer Alejandro Brito, gives the BBC until Friday to provide a “full and fair” retraction of the documentary and “appropriately compensate President Trump for the harm caused”, or face legal action in the US state of Florida.
“The BBC is on notice. PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY,” says the letter, which was widely circulated on social media.
The BBC did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
The documentary, titled Trump: A Second Chance?, has been mired in controversy since the leak of an internal memo that criticised producers for editing Trump’s remarks to make it appear that he had directly encouraged the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.
In the documentary, Trump is shown saying, “We fight like hell”, directly after telling supporters, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol”.
Trump had actually followed his comments about going to the Capitol with a remark about cheering on “our brave senators and congressmen and women”, and made his “fight like hell” comment nearly an hour later.
The memo, written by Michael Prescott, a former adviser to the BBC’s standards committee, also accused the broadcaster of suppressing critical coverage of transgender issues and displaying anti-Israel bias within the BBC Arabic service.
The BBC’s director-general, Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness, stepped down on Sunday amid the fallout of the controversy.
Trump welcomed the resignations in a post on Truth Social, accusing the BBC executives of being “corrupt” and “very dishonest people”.
BBC chair Samir Shah on Monday acknowledged that the clip was misleading and apologised for the “error of judgement”, but rejected claims that the broadcaster is institutionally biased.
Shah also said that the memo did not present “a full picture of the discussions, decisions and actions that were taken” by the standards board in response to concerns raised internally before the leak.
Trump’s legal threat is the latest in a flurry of actions he has taken to punish critical media.
Those moves include defamation claims against outlets including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and ABC News, funding cuts at NPR and PBS, and the removal of Associated Press journalists from the White House press pool.
Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern on a night out in London following his victory on the BBC show
00:30, 11 Nov 2025Updated 00:31, 11 Nov 2025
Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern(Image: Gisella/TikTok)
Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern. The comedian, 49, was chosen as a Traitor by Claudia Winkleman and then emerged victorious as the winner of the recent BBC series after weeks of lying to his co-stars, managing to walk off with the grand prize, all in the name of charity.
Just days after his final scenes in the Scottish castle aired, the Changing Ends star was seen in a TikTok video wearing his famous costume from the series on a night out in London and yelled to his fans: “F*****g Faithfuls!”
Once the video was posted onto social media, he received approval from big name brands like Sky, Next, Specsavers and Asda in the comments section, before fans of the former Chatty Man host all piled in with their reactions. One said: “How is he not Sir Alan Carr yet?”
Another wrote: “A true icon,” whilst a third added: “It’s Alan’s world we’re just living in it!” It all comes just days after nearly 12 million viewers watched the funnyman con Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga into believing he was a Faithful in the programme’s hotly-anticipated finale.
The finale was filled with shocks, first with Traitor Cat Burns being voted off thanks to a change of heart from Joe Marler, and then Joe also being shown the door after Nick Mohammed got cold feet about him at the last minute.
Viewers saw Alan burst into tears as he won the prize, telling them: “I’m so sorry, it’s been tearing me apart.” Speaking afterwards the comic, 49, said he couldn’t help the outpouring of emotion at the very end as he was revealed as a traitor to losing faithful Nick and David Olusoga.
“I think all the deceit, the lying, the murdering of Paloma and Celia had all taken its toll and then I think it dawned on me that I had won such a huge amount for my charity, Neuroblastoma UK,” he explained. “Hopefully when people see how upset I was they won’t feel so bad that I killed all those national treasures.”
He said that when he told the charity the good news about his £87,500 win they were overwhelmed. “I told one person at the charity and they started crying, so that gives you some idea of how important this money will be to them. Neuroblastoma is such a cruel disease, and this money will literally save lives. It’s a charity and disease that no one has really heard of so with the viewing figures being what they are it’s going to be so good for the charity.”
He said that his non-stop comedy was behind his win. “Humour was my secret weapon in the castle,” he declared. “I would often deflect scrutiny and make a gag about something which would then throw everyone off the scent. My sense of humour was probably more useful to me than a shield.”
And Alan admitted that he couldn’t believe he got away with two murders in plain sight – first Paloma Faith and then Celia Imrie. “Spouting Shakespeare at the dinner party was so not me that I thought it would’ve been a red flag to the faithful – but at breakfast no one mentioned it,” he laughed. Alan said he’d also loved the reaction of the audience since the show began last month. “The memes have been so funny, I’ve loved them all. Someone did a song which included all my Traitors quotes – it’s quite catchy actually and I think it should be entered for Eurovision.”
In terms of advice for future players, Alan confessed he had no idea what his game strategy had been. “Although I won, I don’t know if I was a really good Traitor or if the Faithfuls were just useless.”
Singer and TikTok star Cat, 25, claimed her downfall came about because she was the last woman standing – and the others believed there would be a female among the traitors. “In hindsight, I think if we didn’t banish Kate (Garraway) before, I probably would have had a chance as there would have been two women left,” she told BBC Breakfast.
Alan spent eight years interviewing A-Listers like Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Lindsay Lohan amongst a whole host of others on his Channel 4 show Chatty Man, which ended in 2016. At the time he said this was due to the difficulty of securing three guests an episode across a 30-week run, while competing with ITV’s Jonathan Ross and BBC1’s Graham Norton. He also said that Channel 4’s decision to shift it from Friday to Thursday had sounded the death knell.
I don’t like the word unprecedented. But I’ve used it twice in less than 24 hours.
The first time was on Sunday night, after the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness. That, in fact, might have involved a bit of overreach.
After all, this has happened before at the BBC. Back in 2004, two senior figures departed – admittedly not on the same day, but on subsequent days.
The then BBC chairman, Gavyn Davies, and the director general, Greg Dyke, resigned in light of the Hutton report.
That was the inquiry into the death of government scientist Dr David Kelly which found that the BBC’s reporting on the Iraq “sexed-up dossier” was flawed.
But my use of unprecedented on Monday feels entirely appropriate.
A US president threatening to sue the BBC for $1bn is completely new territory for the corporation.
We’ve seen a succession of US media operations previously cave in as Donald Trump launched lawsuits.
Paramount Global paid him $16m to settle a dispute over an interview broadcast on CBS with former vice-president Kamala Harris.
ABC News paid him $15m to settle a defamation lawsuit after its anchor falsely claimed he had been found “liable for rape”.
Now the president has the BBC in his sights. He wants a full retraction of the Panorama documentary, an apology for the “false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading and inflammatory statements” made about him in it, and appropriate compensation “for the harm caused”.
If he doesn’t get them by Friday, he’s put the BBC “on notice” that he will be looking for damages of “no less than $1,000,000,000”.
Whether you are a supporter or a detractor of the BBC, I think everyone would agree these are incredibly testing times for the corporation.
Events have developed rapidly over a week.
First we got the series of claims about the Panorama documentary and also wider systemic bias first made in the Telegraph.
Six days later came the resignations of director general Tim Davie and news CEO Deborah Turness.
Quickly some were voicing concerns about a politically orchestrated campaign against the BBC from the right. Others said this was all about accountability in the face of gross failures.
Now the BBC faces a potentially very costly legal battle with Donald Trump.
It should be basking in the success of Celebrity Traitors with the programme’s hugely popular finale broadcast just last Thursday. Instead the BBC is plunged into a crisis some would argue of its own making.
It’s taken until Monday to apologise for the Panorama edit and to push back on the notion that the corporation suffers from institutional bias.
The interview I did with BBC chair Samir Shah should have been done much earlier – with the DG or Deborah Turness last week, as the headlines ramped up.
The apology should have come then. Now the BBC is on the back foot.
It will take robust leadership to steer a course through. But two of the leaders most likely to have been able to steady the ship are now on the way out.
Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin appeared on BBC The One Show and opened up about the final season of the show
Stranger Things stars Noah Schnapp and Caleb McLaughlin(Image: BBC)
Stranger Things fans are bracing themselves to bid farewell to the beloved programme that has captivated audiences since 2016, as the final instalment of the science fiction drama draws to a close.
Caleb McLaughlin, who portrays Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series created by Matt and Ross Duffer, has reflected on wrapping up filming, describing it as the “best day”.
The star joined fellow cast members Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Gaten Matarazzo on BBC’s The One Show on Monday (November 10) evening, where he discussed the upcoming final season with presenters Alex Jones and Angelica Bell, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Alex immediately remarked: “You’ve been together for ages, you’ve grown up together and the chemistry between you is so brilliant.”
The presenter then enquired: “What was it like to film that last moment before they shouted ‘that’s a wrap?'”
Caleb confessed: “It was really emotional honestly. I reference a 90s anime flashback, I felt like I was reminiscing on my future, my present and the past.”
He continued: “I’ve been on the show almost half my life, I mean all of us have. It’s been 10 years, it’s wild. It’s something so deep that I can’t truly understand yet because my frontal lode is still closing but it was an emotional day but one of my best days.”
When questioned about whether he’d managed to take any mementoes from the set, the actor disclosed: “With permission, my bandanna, a wright locket and some clothes from each season.”
After the explosive finale of series four, Netflix unveiled the trailer for series five last month, showing our beloved Hawkins youngsters gearing up for a final showdown with Vecna.
The clip reveals where Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) has been lurking, as it begins with the arch-villain stepping out from the shadows in the Upside Down’s version of Hawkins’ town hall, declaring: “We can begin.”
It then switches to the residents of Hawkins, who find themselves “stuck” in their town due to military intervention as authorities attempt to contain the chaos Vecna unleashed at the close of series four.
The tension escalates as Finn Wolfhard’s Mike Wheeler and his mates devise one final assault against Vecna to “end this once and for all”.
The trailer also features Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) using her abilities to soar through the sky, whilst Max (Sadie Sink) is shown being carried from the hospital by Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), who then finds himself chased by a demodog.
In the trailer’s closing moments, an epic confrontation is hinted at, as Vecna lifts Will into the air towards him, saying: “You are going to help me…one…last…time.”
The One Show airs weekdays from 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer
A resurfaced video of BBC News Online’s Middle East editor Raffi Berg, who has launched legal action against journalist Owen Jones over allegations of pro-Israel bias, is seen expressing deep admiration for Mossad. Speaking about the Israeli spy agency, Berg said it makes him “tremendously proud.” The comments have drawn fresh scrutiny as Berg faces allegations of pro-Israel bias, first detailed in a widely shared article by Jones titled The BBC’s Civil War Over Gaza.
Jones’ article, published in December 2024 on DropSite News, accused the BBC, and Berg in particular, of downplaying Israeli actions in Gaza and sidelining critical voices. Now, nearly a year later, Berg has initiated legal proceedings, claiming reputational damage. He is reported to have hired the former director of the notorious UK Lawyers for Israel to sue Jones.
BBC editor hires former director of UK Lawyers for Israel to sue Owen Jones for alleging his pro-Israel bias. You couldn’t make it up! pic.twitter.com/6LGBVwL3dr
Jones detailed accusations from 13 current and former BBC staffers who alleged that coverage of Israel and Palestine was being distorted under Berg’s editorial direction. Sources accused him of “aggressively pushing” pro-Israel framing, marginalising Palestinian perspectives, and undermining colleagues who tried to challenge editorial lines. The article suggested Berg exerted “wild” control over headlines and content related to Gaza.
Claims of Berg’s pro-Israel bias was further compounded by revelations in Mint Press News, which uncovered Berg’s close ties to Israeli intelligence institutions. Berg is reported to have previously worked with the Foreign Broadcast Information Service — an entity long linked to the CIA — and authored a book (Red Sea Spies) about a Mossad operation, written in collaboration with senior Mossad operatives, including Dani Limor. The book has been praised by Mossad leadership and has been promoted as a success story of Israeli intelligence.
BBC’s online Middle East editor, Raffi Berg, seems to have a framed letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a framed picture with former Israeli ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev, proudly displayed on his wall at home.
In the MintPress report, investigative journalist Alan MacLeod outlines how Berg has received support from top Israeli officials and prominently displayed memorabilia tied to Mossad and Israel in his BBC office. MacLeod argues this undermines any claim of neutrality, especially in the context of the BBC’s coverage of the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Despite mounting questions about conflicts of interest, the BBC has remained largely silent on Berg’s affiliations. Meanwhile, the legal case against Jones is viewed by many observers as an attempt to silence journalistic scrutiny of the broadcaster’s internal dynamics.
The timing of the lawsuit, as global scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza intensifies, has only added to concerns that critical voices are being targeted. Jones has defended his reporting, insisting that it was based on documented testimonies and internal sources, and called the legal action an attack on press freedom.
Donald Trump has branded the BBC ‘100% fake news’ but Keir Starmer has backed the Corporation for being ‘internationally renowned’ and rejected the accusation that it’s journalists were ‘corrupt’
18:05, 10 Nov 2025Updated 18:07, 10 Nov 2025
Donald Trump has accused the BBC of being ‘100% fake news’ after it apologises for Panorama edit(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC over its editing of his Capitol Hill speech from 2021, as the government yesterday defended the corporation in the wake of the resignations of two top bosses. Amid the fallout from the exits of director general Tim Davie and BBC News boss Deborah Turness, the BBC yesterday confirmed it had received the letter threatening legal action from the US President and would respond in due course.
And Trump’s claim that the BBC has “corrupt journalists” was rejected by Keir Starmer as Downing Street threw its weight behind the BBC, describing it as an “internationally renowned” institution.
The developments came as BBC Chair Samir Shah finally apologised over the BBC Panorama in which two bits of a speech from Trump were edited together in a way which made him appear to support the rioters. This move has allowed Trump’s press secretary to accuse the BBC of being “100% fake news” and brand it a “propoganda machine”.
Shah’s apology, contained in a letter to culture, media and sport select committee chair Caroline Dinenage, said the BBC regretted its “error of judgement” that resulted in a misleading edit of a Donald Trump speech.
It came after a week of silence from the BBC, which claimed it did not comment on leaked documents. This seemingly prevented it from either defending its journalism or apologising for any mistake made, leaving many supporters baffled.
The row erupted a week ago with the publication of a leaked memo from Michael Prescott, a former political journalist who spent three years as an external adviser to the BBC, in which he made many complaints about issues that he claimed were not being sufficiently dealt with, notably on its coverage of the Gaza conflict and around trans issues.
But in his letter yesterday, Shah insisted that it was “simply not true” to say the BBC had done nothing to tackle the problems raised and he also defended the BBC against claims of systemic bias.
The chairman said the edit had initially been cleared to “convey the message of the speech” made by Trump, so that Panorama viewers would “better understand” how it was received by the president’s supporters, and what was happening on the ground at that time.
The edit, which drew no complaints at the time of broadcast, had been discussed by the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee (EGSC) in both January and May this year. He said that while it was discussed as part of a wider review of the US election coverage, hindsight had shown “it would have been better to take more formal action”.
He said that reports suggesting Prescott had “uncovered” a list of stories and issues that the BBC have sought to “bury” were “simply not true,” explaining: “The issues raised by Mr Prescott are precisely the issues that have been considered by the EGSC and the Board.”
The chairman said it was also misleading to suggest that the BBC has done nothing to tackle these problems.”That is also simply not true,” he wrote. “Over the three years Mr Prescott was an advisor to the EGSC, the BBC has: published corrections where we have got things wrong; changed editorial guidance to make the BBC’s position on issues clearer; made changes to leadership where the problems point to underlying issues; and carried out formal disciplinary measures.”
He said it was important to remember the thousands of hours of “outstanding journalism” produced by the BBC on TV, radio and digitally, calling for “a sense of perspective” to be maintained.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “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.”
Asked if Mr Starmer believed the BBC was institutionally biased, the spokesman 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.”
Elsewhere, ex-PM Gordon Brown told Sky News an “immediate” apology from the BBC over the Trump speech could have swerved the need for resignations. “I think the problem that the BBC has had is that this happened a year ago,” he said. “An apology should have been made instantly. If a mistake has been made, you’ve got to apologise instantly.”
As many media commentators and BBC alumni rushed to either defend or denigrate the BBC, there were also claims of a “coup” from within the BBC board.
David Yelland, a former editor of The Sun who now presents a podcast for the BBC, 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, on the board – who have systematically undermined Tim Davie and his senior team. This has been going on for a long time. What happened yesterday didn’t happen in isolation.”
He added: “There is a reason that the BBC is the most trusted news organisation in the world – look at who is celebrating this morning, including the president of the United States. This is not a good day and I do think there was a failure of governance.”
Radio 4 presenter Nick Robinson, a former political editor for BBC News, declared that forces were at work to try and bring down the BBC. “It’s clear that there is a genuine concern about editorial standards and mistakes,” he said on Today. “There is also a political campaign by people who want to destroy the organisation. Both things are happening at the same time.”
He said the BBC had appeared “paralysed” for the past week – “unable to agree what to say not just about the editing of Donald Trump’s speech by Panorama but also wider claims of institutional bias”.
Former 5 Live Breakfast Show host Shelagh Fogarty now works in commercial radio but says the BBC needs defending. “We need the BBC as part of a broader economy in news media. I worked there for 25 years and can see its rigour has been eroded. The practice of impartiality is its highest aim. Fix that and state facts.”
But Nigel Farage seized on the crisis, claiming the BBC “has been institutionally biased for decades” as he appeared at a press conference in central London. The Reform leader said: “I actually spoke to the president on Friday. He just said to me: ‘Is this how you treat your best ally?’ It’s quite a powerful comment.”
Former Radio 4 presenter Libby Purves said that she was “glad” to see Turness had been “binned” from her job at the helm of BBC News and claimed the Trump edit should never have happened. “The trans bias is irritating and the Arabic service a problem, but what viscerally distressed us ancient BBC newsfolk was the Trump edit,” she posted on social media. “As a reporter, spent years editing tape and being vv careful NOT to risk traducing even horrible people.”
And Charles Moore, chair of The Spectator, argued that the BBC’s views were “always from a metropolitan left position”. He added: “That means it’s not serving a very large percentage of the licence fee payers. I’m not, of course, saying it should be right wing either, I’m saying it should take impartiality seriously.”
Former Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer said he felt “sad” that Davie had resigned as a result of the latest controversy, describing him as an “outstanding” director general. “I don’t agree that the BBC is systemically biased and that it is basted in a culture which means that its journalism can’t be trusted. I think that’s absolutely wrong,” he said. “The overwhelming majority is excellent and it doesn’t happen by accident. I am here to say that the BBC is an outstanding and excellent exponent of impartial journalism and it needs to be defended.”
Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, agreed: “Across the world, the BBC is recognised as the best source of impartial news reporting. “It’s not perfect, because nothing made by people ever is. However, in these days of deliberate lies, manipulation & populism, it’s a beacon of truth. Britain should be proud of it.”
Caroline Dinenage said that Davie’s decision to quit came down to “editorial failure”, listing other recent mistakes including Bob Vylan at Glastonbury, misconduct by Gregg Wallace on MasterChef, and editorial failings in the doc Gaza: How To Survive a War Zone.
“There seems to be a muscle memory at the BBC as to how to badly respond to any kind of editorial crisis or scandal,” she complained. “The BBC seems to have dropped the ball at every opportunity. That is not a board-level problem, that is an institutional problem.”
LONDON — The BBC reported Monday that President Trump sent a letter threatening legal action over the way a speech he made was edited in a documentary aired by the British broadcaster.
The BBC’s top executive and its head of news both quit Sunday over accusations of bias and misleading editing of a speech Trump delivered on Jan. 6, 2021, before a crowd of his supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington.
Asked about a letter from Trump threatening legal action over the incident, the BBC said in a statement on Monday that “we will review the letter and respond directly in due course.” It did not provide further details.
Earlier, Trump welcomed the resignations of BBC Director-General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness, saying the way his speech was edited was an attempt to “step on the scales of a Presidential Election.”
The hourlong documentary — titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” — was broadcast as part of the BBC’s “Panorama” series days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It spliced together three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.” Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
In a resignation letter to staff, Davie said: “There have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
Turness said the controversy was damaging the BBC, and she quit “because the buck stops with me.”
Turness defended the organization’s journalists against allegations of bias.
“Our journalists are hardworking people who strive for impartiality, and I will stand by their journalism,” she said Monday. “There is no institutional bias. Mistakes are made, but there’s no institutional bias.”
BBC chairman Samir Shah apologized Monday for the broadcaster’s “error of judgment,” saying the broadcaster “accept[s] that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
Trump posted a link to a Daily Telegraph story about the speech-editing on his Truth Social network, thanking the newspaper “for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’ These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election.” He called that “a terrible thing for Democracy!”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted on X, posting a screen grab of an article headlined “Trump goes to war with ‘fake news’ BBC” beside another about Davie’s resignation, with the words “shot” and “chaser.”
Trump speech edited
Pressure on the broadcaster’s top executives has been growing since the right-leaning Daily Telegraph published parts of a dossier compiled by Michael Prescott, who had been hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines.
As well as the Trump edit, it criticized the BBC’s coverage of transgender issues and raised concerns of anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.
The “Panorama” episode showed an edited clip from the January 2021 speech in which Trump claimed the 2020 presidential election had been rigged. Trump is shown saying: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”
According to video and a transcript from Trump’s comments that day, he said: “I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down, we’re going to walk down. Anyone you want, but I think right here, we’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.
“Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated.
“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
Trump used the “fight like hell” phrase toward the end of the speech, but without referencing the Capitol.
“We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” Trump said.
In a letter to Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Shah said the purpose of editing Trump’s words had been “to convey the message of the speech” so that viewers could understand how it had been received by Trump’s supporters and what was happening on the ground.
He said the program had not attracted “significant audience feedback” when it first aired but had drawn more than 500 complaints since Prescott’s dossier was made public.
Shah acknowledged in a BBC interview that “it would have been better to have acted earlier. But we didn’t.”
A national institution
The 103-year-old BBC faces greater scrutiny than other broadcasters — and criticism from its commercial rivals — because of its status as a national institution funded through an annual license fee of 174.50 pounds ($230) paid by all households who watch live TV or any BBC content.
The broadcaster is bound by the terms of its charter to be impartial, and critics are quick to point out when they think it has failed. It’s frequently a political football, with conservatives seeing a leftist slant in its news output and some liberals accusing it of having a conservative bias.
It has also been criticized from all angles over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. In February, the BBC removed a documentary about Gaza from its streaming service after it emerged that the child narrator was the son of an official in the Hamas-led government.
Governments of both left and right have long been accused of meddling with the broadcaster, which is overseen by a board that includes both BBC nominees and government appointees.
Some defenders of the BBC allege that members of the board appointed under previous Conservative governments have been undermining the corporation from within.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman, Tom Wells, said the center-left Labor Party government supports “a strong, independent BBC” and doesn’t think the broadcaster is biased.
“But it is important that the BBC acts to maintain trust and corrects mistakes quickly when they occur,” he said.
BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent shared a devastating news update on Monday
A BBC Breakfast star issued a “danger” warning as tragic news was confirmed on Monday (November 10).
During today’s edition of the hit morning programme, presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay brought viewers the latest headlines from Britain and beyond.
Sports updates came from Jane Dougall in the studio, whilst Carol Kirkwood provided weather forecasts throughout the broadcast.
At the start of the show, Sally revealed that a typhoon had struck the Philippines, forcing one million residents to flee their homes. Tragically, two people have lost their lives.
“A powerful typhoon which struck the Philippines has now passed into the South China Sea, leaving at least two people dead and causing widespread flooding,” Sally announced, reports the Express.
“Typhoon Fung-wong hit the country’s east coast last night as a super typhoon, with winds reaching speeds of 143 mph. Nearly one million people were evacuated after warnings of a high risk of threat to life.”
BBC correspondent Jonathan Head highlighted the alarming situation in a pre-recorded report from Cabanatuan City in the Philippines.
“Well, the storm has actually long since passed but, as you can see, it’s still raining very heavily,” he said.
“The big concern for this community, and so many others that are low-lying in the Philippines, is actually these water levels are now rising very fast. That’s because the huge amounts of rain that were dumped by the typhoon have collected on the mountains, and they have soaked the terrain there.
“They’re filling up the rivers and that water is feeding down to cities like this one lower down.”
Jonathan continued: “We’ve really watched this water come up and we see people wading into their houses, retrieving possessions, furniture, pets as well.
“They now realise that even people who might have a second floor, this water might rise that high. It’s an illustration of the many different, unpredictable risks that come with typhoons.
“The challenge initially was to protect people from the ferocity of the storm as it passed through this area… There’s a lot of clearing up to do, but these rising water levels are a real concern.”
The correspondent concluded: “[Although] this typhoon appears to have left the country far less damaged than expected, there are still dangers that it has left behind.”
TASHA Ghouri just debuted her new beau, as they made their first VERY public appearance.
The Love Island season eight alum and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, 27, travelled down to the live Strictly show on Saturday along with her new partner, YouTuber and animal lover Cam Whitnall.
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Tasha and Cam were spotted in the Strictly front row last nightCredit: Refer to sourceIt’s Tasha’s first relationship since her split from Andrew Le Page in JanuaryCredit: GettyIt was revealed in May that Tasha was dating Cam after the splitCredit: Instagram
The beauty competed on the programme last year, impressing the judges and public with her dancing skills.
Merely five months later, Tasha and Cam met, but only yesterday they made their first appearance together in public – and it was a big one, on national TV!
The couple were spotted on camera sitting together in the front row of the audience, following a Charleston from Karen Carney.
He also claimed she “couldn’t keep his name out of her mouth” after appearing on “one too many podcast” speaking about him and their relationship.
Shortly after the accusations and plenty of trolling online, the sunk couple release a set of emotional public statements about wanting to leave the past behind them and avoid unnecessary hurt.
Tasha’s read: “No one deserves to be torn down, especially when they’re already trying to heal.
“We’ve both made mistakes, we’ve both learned, and we’ve both grown.
“But the judgement and cruelty we are facing from people online has been hard.
“Please remember that behind every nasty post, every comment, every story, there are real people with real emotions.
“Always be kind.”
Andrew added: “Tasha and I want to address the noise around our breakup, as there’s been hate going around that neither of us ever wanted.
“Things were said on both sides, but at the end of the day, no relationship is perfect, but ours still had some incredible moments I’ll always be grateful for.
“I truly just want us both to move on and be happy.
“Wishing Tasha nothing but the best, and I’ll always be proud of her.”
Andrew is now dating actress and singer Hannah Peglar.
The pair are rumoured to have began dating back in August after his split from Tasha.
She’s known largely for her role as an extra in hit Netflix series Sex Education.
Davie’s exit caps a week of attacks on Britain’s public broadcaster, with Trump’s press secretary describing BBC as ‘100 percent fake news’.
The director-general of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has resigned after a row over the editing of a speech made by US President Donald Trump on the day of the 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.
Sunday’s joint resignations of Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness capped a turbulent week of accusations that the broadcaster edited a speech Trump made on January 6, 2021, to make it appear as if he encouraged the riots that followed his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
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Davie said he took “ultimate responsibility” for mistakes made, saying that quitting his role at the helm of the public broadcaster after five years was “entirely my decision”.
“I have been reflecting on the very intense personal and professional demands of managing this role over many years in these febrile times, combined with the fact that I want to give a successor time to help shape the charter plans they will be delivering,” he said.
A documentary by flagship programme Panorama aired a week before last year’s US election, splicing together clips of Trump’s speech uttered at different points.
The edit made it seem as if Trump said: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.”
Critics said it was misleading as it cut out a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
‘Buck stops with me’
Turness said the controversy about the Trump documentary “has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC – an institution that I love”.
“As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me,” she added.
Earlier on Sunday, UK Culture, Media and Sport Minister Lisa Nandy called the allegations “incredibly serious”, saying there is a “systemic bias in the way that difficult issues are reported at the BBC”.
Reporting from London, Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands noted that the BBC has always been in a difficult position.
“It is pilloried by the right, who perceive it to be a hotbed of liberal bias. It’s pilloried by the left, who think that it kowtows to the establishment and pumps out government lines when it comes to things like Gaza, particularly, not holding the powerful to account as it should do as a broadcaster.”
Accusations of anti-Israel bias
The controversy, whipped up by UK right-wing media, reached the other side of the Atlantic with Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt describing the BBC as “100 percent fake news” and a “propaganda machine” on Friday.
The story broke on Tuesday when The Daily Telegraph cited a memo complied by Michael Prescott, a former member of the BBC’s editorial standards committee, which raised concerns over the Trump edit, as well as criticising perceived anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.
On Saturday, the newspaper reported right-wing lawmaker Priti Patel, of the Conservative Party, demanded the UK Foreign Office review its funding of BBC Arabic through its grant for the BBC World Service, alleging “pro-Hamas and anti-Israel bias”.
The broadcaster has also been accused of giving Israel favourable coverage in its reporting of the war on Gaza, coming under criticism from its own staff.
Davie’s resignation was celebrated by Nigel Farage, leader of the populist hard-right Reform UK party, which is soaring in opinion polls.
“This is the BBC’s last chance. If they don’t get this right there will be vast numbers of people refusing to pay the licence fee,” Farage said on X.
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News Chief Executive Deborah Turness announced Sunday they are resigning from their positions.
The departures come as the British public broadcaster has faced criticism for its editing of President Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, speech before the Capitol riot and insurrection.
The BBC investigative series “Panorama,” in a broadcast a week ahead of the U.S. presidential election last year, featured an edited video of Trump’s speech.
Critics said that the way the speech was edited was misleading in that it cut out a section in which Trump said that he expected his supporters would demonstrate peacefully.
“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” Trump said in the speech, during which he also urged his supporters to “fight like hell.”
In a statement, Turness acknowledged the controversy around the “Panorama” broadcast, noting, “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 recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.”
In a separate news release, Davie said, “In these increasingly polarized 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 organizations, 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. Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
Trump was impeached and criminally indicted over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and insurrection. The felony charges were dropped after he won the 2024 election, as U.S. Justice Department policy holds that a sitting president may not be criminally prosecuted.
Pressure on the broadcaster’s top executives has been growing since the Daily Telegraph newspaper published parts of a dossier complied by Michael Prescott, who had been hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines.
As well as the Trump edit, it criticized the BBC’s coverage of transgender issues and raised concerns of anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.
The 103-year-old BBC faces greater scrutiny than other broadcasters — and criticism from its commercial rivals — because of its status as a national institution funded through an annual license fee of $230 paid by all households with a television.
The BBC airs vast reams of entertainment and sports programming across multiple television and radio stations and online platforms — but it’s the BBC’s news output that is most often under scrutiny.
The broadcaster is bound by the terms of its charter to be impartial in its output, and critics are quick to point out when they think it has failed. It’s frequently a political football, with conservatives seeing a leftist slant in its news output and some liberals accusing it of having a conservative bias.
It has also been criticized from all angles over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. In February, the BBC removed a documentary about Gaza from its streaming service after it emerged that the child narrator was the son of an official in the Hamas-led government.
The BBC shakeup comes as Trump has been extremely aggressive in pursuing lawsuits against U.S. media companies. Paramount Global forked over $16 million this summer after Trump complained about the editing of a Kamala Harris interview on CBS’ “60 minutes.” Last year, ABC News paid $16 million to settle Trump’s defamation lawsuit against anchor George Stephanopoulos.
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left in tears as they watched the results show
20:19, 09 Nov 2025Updated 20:20, 09 Nov 2025
Amy Dowden appeared in the special routine(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left reaching for the tissues during Sunday night’s emotional elimination show.
The evening featured a musical performance from James Morrison, belting out ‘Fight Another Day’, accompanied by a dance routine from Jowita Pryzstał and Neil Jones.
The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment also graced the stage alongside the Strictly Professional Dancers for a group performance in honour of Remembrance Sunday, set to Sam Fender’s poignant track ‘Remember My Name’.
However, it was this particular performance that had fans welling up, with many taking to social media to express their emotions – and eagle-eyed viewers spotted that Amy Dowden was part of the special pre-recorded routine.
One viewer posted on X, “Amy dancing recorded in August, then, hate these ‘Sunday’ shows and dances recorded months ago.”
Another fan gushed, “Love seeing Amy in the performance. I am sobbing.”
While another added, “Dancing to Remember My Name by Sam Fender on #Strictly making me VERY emotional.
“Not one for sentiment when it comes to war, but brass bands really do choke me up #strictly,” another viewer shared.
Yet another wrote, “That was a beautiful pro dance and the music was spot on, can’t believe I’m now in tears over strictly. I almost never cry, yet I’ve cried two shows in a row tonight!”
Tonight’s results saw the departure of one celebrity, as Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer found themselves in a dance-off against La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec.
Both pairs took to the floor once more; La Voix and Aljaž reprised their Foxtrot to Make Your Own Kind of Music by Cass Elliot, while Harry and Karen Hauer danced their Samba to Samba by Gloria Estefan.
However, it was a unanimous verdict as all judges opted to save La Voix, resulting in Harry being sent packing.
It was a poignant moment for Harry, and when quizzed by Tess Daly about his Strictly experience, he said, “I think, first things, I just want to thank Karen, genuinely, you have given me an opportunity to shine.
“You’ve understood my crazy brain. I’m a logical person, trying to dance – and obviously doing what I do – an Olympic sprinter and a Gladiator; now I’m trying to be a dancer.
“I just want to thank you so much for the time and effort, the hard work that you’ve put into me. You show up, you turn out. I want to thank everyone here. Literally, this has been a dream come true. This is a celebration. It’s a celebration.”
The Gladiator continued, “I spoke to my daughter and she didn’t like seeing her dad sad, and when she saw me sad last week, she was like, “Daddy, what’s wrong?’ and I wanted to show everyone that, no matter what happens, there’s always a silver lining.
“But this is an experience for me. So, thank you for this lovely gift, and at the end of the day, we carry on, we give it to them, and we continue to shine. Do you know what I mean?”
Karen also became emotional as she shared with Tess what being paired with Harry had meant to her.
She said, “I am extremely proud. We’ve had the best time.
“You’re such a gentleman, you’re a hard worker, you listen, and you get into those times where I don’t know what you were thinking, but you know what? I loved you in every kind of way because of the person that you are, and it was an honour to teach you, so thank you so much.”
Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
LONDON — The head of the BBC resigned Sunday after criticism of the broadcaster’s editing of a speech by President Trump.
The BBC said that Director-General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness both announced their resignations Sunday.
Britain’s public broadcaster had been criticized for its editing of a speech Trump made on Jan. 6, 2021, before a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn his election defeat.
Critics said that the way the speech was edited for a BBC documentary was misleading in that it cut out a section in which Trump said that he expected his supporters would demonstrate peacefully.
“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” Trump said in the speech, during which he also urged his supporters to “fight like hell.”
Trump was impeached and criminally indicted over his role in the ensuing Jan. 6 riot and insurrection. The felony charges were dropped after he won the 2024 election, as U.S. Justice Department policy holds that a sitting president may not be criminally prosecuted.
In a letter to staff, Davie said quitting the job after five years “is entirely 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,” Davie said.
He said that he was “working through exact timings with the Board to allow for an orderly transition to a successor over the coming months.”
Turness said that the controversy about the Trump documentary “has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC — an institution that I love. As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me.”
Pressure on the broadcaster’s top executives has been growing since the Daily Telegraph newspaper published parts of a dossier complied by Michael Prescott, who had been hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines.
As well as the Trump edit, it criticized the BBC’s coverage of transgender issues and raised concerns of alleged anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.
Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has shared an emotional cancer post with her Instagram followers just days after she underwent her second mastectomy
Amy Dowden has shared a poignant update on her cancer journey with her Instagram followers, just days after undergoing her second mastectomy.
Sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea and surrounded by her loved ones, the pro wrote, “Home, resting up, still got my drain in but rrrrrready for the best entertainment and medicine there is for me….. @bbcstrictly good luck everyone.”
She added, “Cheering you all on from home! Lots of luck and love xxxxx.”
Host Claudia was the first to comment, leaving Amy some red heart emojis.
Joanne Clifton also sent the pro some love hearts, while Karen Carney said, “Sending so much love.”
One fan wrote, “Have a lovely and restful evening.”
Another follower commented, “Sending love and healing hugs your way, Amy.
“The strongest person!! Hope you have a speedy recovery, gorgeous girl!! sending so much love,” another added.
They called him a “national treasure” and “true consumer champion”, stating: “Quentin brought the joy of motoring, from combustion to electric, into our living rooms.”
The statement added: “The void he has left can never be filled. His knowledge was not just learned but lived; a library of experience now beyond our reach,” reports the Express.
Besides serving as Top Gear’s used car specialist, and working as an campaigner and electric vehicle supporter, Willson appeared on Strictly in 2004.
He created history on the programme when his Cha Cha Cha with partner Hazel Newberry received the lowest score ever awarded by judges on the show, at just eight points.
He subsequently remarked he was “very proud” of it, acknowledging his poor dancing ability and saying: “I ‘m very proud to have the lowest recorded score on Strictly Come Dancing. Builders ran up to me to shake my hand because I failed so badly. I tried, but I was the dancing equivalent of a JCB.”
BBC Breakfast presenters paid tribute to Willson this morning, with Roger stating: “Jeremy Clarkson and James May have lead tributes to the former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson, who has died from lung cancer at the age of 68. His family said that he brought the joy of motoring into people’s living rooms.”
Reporter Graham Satchell said: “Quentin Willson’s presenting style on Top Gear was unforgettable. Direct, forthright, with a wry sense of humour.
“After Top Gear, Willson began campaigning to reduce the amount of tax that motorists paid on fuel, and then to try and make electric cars more affordable.
“He holds the ignominious record of having the lowest ever score on Strictly, 8 out of 40, his performance described as a Robin Reliant trying to make love to a Ferrari.
“Willson loved it, it was important, he said, for people in the public eye to make fun of themselves.
“The car was his first and last love, he named his daughters Mercedes and Mini.”
Satchell continued: “Tonight Quentin Willson’s family said the void he left can never be filled. His knowledge was not just learned but lived, a library of experience, now beyond our reach.”
The tributes follow heartfelt words from James May and Jeremy Clarkson, who wrote: ” I’m far away so I’ve only just heard that Quentin Willson has died. We had some laughs over the years. Properly funny man.”
May commented on X: “Quentin Wilson gave me proper advice and encouragement during my earliest attempts at TV, back in the late 90s. I’ve never forgotten it. Great bloke.”
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
