BBC Trump broadcast called doctored; chiefs step down

New Delhi: BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday, hours after a Telegraph investigation alleged misleading edits in a Panorama film on US President Donald Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech at the Ellipse.

In a brief joint statement, the broadcaster said both leaders were stepping down amid growing criticism from UK lawmakers, media regulators and US political figures who accused the BBC of breaching impartiality rules and manipulating footage to imply Trump incited the Capitol riot.

The dispute centres on Panorama’s “Trump’s Day of Rage,” which aired in late October. 

Investigators said producers stitched together two lines from Trump’s 90-minute address, separated by 54 minutes, to suggest a direct call to violence. The original sequence, they said, included intervening remarks urging “peaceful” and lawful protest.

Trump has not faced federal incitement charges over January 6, a point his lawyers have repeatedly made, which is also featured in the BBC’s response. The broadcaster removed the episode from iPlayer and other platforms late on Saturday, apologised to the affected parties, and announced an independent review of its editorial processes.

“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness,” an interim statement said. “Impartiality is the cornerstone of our journalism, and any deviation demands accountability at the highest levels.”

A whistleblower quoted by The Telegraph, described as a mid-level producer, alleged internal complaints about the edit were dismissed as executives prioritised “narrative impact.” 

As per sources, Davie’s exit became unavoidable after emergency board meetings. Turness, a former NBC News president, cited personal reasons in her letter, though insiders said the controversy had damaged confidence.

Reaction was immediate in Washington. In a post on Truth Social, endorsed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump called the BBC a “disgraced propaganda machine,” accusing it of “splicing” his speech and demanding a boycott. After he name-checked GB News, the UK channel reported a 15% viewership lift on Sunday as it led coverage of the scandal.

In Britain, the episode has reopened long-running arguments about bias at the license-fee-funded broadcaster. 

Critics pointed to earlier complaints about international coverage, including reporting on Kashmir, the 2021 farmers’ protests and Hindu-Muslim tensions. Indian officials have previously accused the BBC of one-sided narratives; in 2023, New Delhi lodged formal objections over a documentary on Manipur.

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries wrote in The Spectator that the case reflected “deeper rot,” accusing the BBC of “editing reality to fit its worldview.” Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer called for an urgent parliamentary inquiry and signalled a review of the BBC’s £3.8-billion license-fee model. “This isn’t journalism; it’s activism,” she told Sky News.

Labour figures urged restraint. Shadow culture minister Thangam Debbonaire said the resignations showed the organisation’s ability to self-correct, adding the BBC “remains a global beacon of independent reporting.”

The BBC has begun its internal review and removed the film pending the outcomes. A detailed order on the leadership changes and the scope of the inquiry is awaited.