Two top leaders at the BBC announced their resignations on Sunday, following a tumultuous week plagued by allegations of bias from the internationally recognized news outlet. Director-General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness said they would be stepping down, citing “mistakes” and “damage” to the brand.
On Sunday, Davie issued a letter to staff, explaining that his decision to step down was “entirely” his own, adding, “Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
Similarly, Turness said that a controversy stemming from the network’s decision to edit a speech by President Donald Trump “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,” Turness added, “the buck stops with me.”
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Allegations of bias lead to resignations
Earlier this week, the British Parliament decided to take up an investigation into the BBC, after an internal memo revealed allegations of bias at the company.
Among other things, former standards and guidelines adviser Michael Prescott accused the organization of misleadingly editing a speech by Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, to make it seem like he encouraged his supporters to march on the Capitol and “fight like hell.” In reality, Trump had told his supporters to march and demonstrate peacefully.
Meanwhile, Prescott also took umbrage with differences in how the BBC and its Arabic-language news service covered the war in Gaza.
In a memo sent to the news outlet’s Board of Directors in September, Prescott said the BBC’s impartiality issues were so “egregious” that it could make viewers lose confidence in the network.
Calls for accountability grow
Since the memo became public, the BBC has been under scrutiny for its reporting, culminating in calls for official investigations. Lisa Nandy, the U.K. Culture Secretary, and Ofcom, Britain’s telecommunications regulatory body, are facing increasing pressure to investigate the BBC for possible bias.
In a statement posted to X on Sunday, Nandy expressed gratitude for Davie’s contributions to the BBC, without mentioning the current controversy.
“I want to thank Tim Davie for his service to public broadcasting over many years,” Nandy wrote. “He has led the BBC through a period of significant change and helped the organisation to grip the challenges it has faced in recent years.”
Caroline Dinenage, the chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee (DCMS), sent a letter Tuesday to BBC Chair Dr. Samir Shah.
“The BBC promotes itself as the U.K.’s most widely used and trusted source of news,” Dinenage wrote. “I am extremely worried that the coverage of Mr. Prescott’s report is suggesting the BBC is engaging in precisely the kind of presentation that is associated with less trusted news sources.”
Dinenage is also requesting details about the steps being taken to ensure the BBC’s guidelines and editorial standards are being properly followed.
According to Davie’s letter, a transition plan will be figured out with the board over the coming months.
