BBC News on TV. Credit: Lutsenko_Oleksandr, Shutterstock.
BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness have resigned following mounting controversy over misleading editing of news programmes. panorama Documentary about President Donald Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021.
Davey told staff in an internal email:
“I would like to inform you that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years. This is completely my decision…
I have reflected on the very demanding personal and professional demands of managing this role for many years in these frenetic times…
Like all public institutions, the BBC is not perfect and must remain open, transparent and accountable. Although not the only reason, the current debate over BBC News naturally contributed to my decision. Overall, the BBC has done well, but there have been some mistakes and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility…”
Mr Davie, who became director-general in 2020, said he would report to the BBC board and help manage the transition to his successor.
BBC Chairman Sameer Shah said: “This is a sad day for the BBC. Tim has been an excellent Director General over the past five years. He has driven the BBC forward with determination, dedication and foresight.”
Turnes: “I’m not responsible.”
Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News, confirmed her resignation on the same day, telling the BBC: “I have taken the difficult decision that it is no longer my role to lead you towards the shared vision we all have, which is the pursuit of truth without an agenda.”
She added: “The ongoing controversy over Panorama about President Trump has reached a stage where it is damaging to the BBC, which I love…”
While I have made mistakes, I want to be absolutely clear that recent claims that BBC News is institutionally biased are false. ”
What Panoramic Editing Changed in President Trump’s 2021 Speech
The resignation took place after the following facts came to light: panorama A documentary about President Donald Trump’s post-election remarks spliced together two non-consecutive parts of his January 6, 2021, speech to make it appear as if Trump was encouraging his supporters to join the armed insurrection at the Capitol.
The resignations were announced shortly after Ofcom’s report into the UK’s news consumption in 2025. The results showed that the BBC remains the most used news source in the UK (67% reach).
For British and English-speaking expatriates across Europe, the BBC is widely seen as a reliable link back home. Management turmoil at the world’s leading public broadcaster could affect tone, reporting priorities and international outcomes. As misinformation and disinformation spreads across digital platforms, trust in unbiased public service news is more crucial than ever.
Display breaking news.
