BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness resigned on November 9, 2025, after a Panorama documentary allegedly misrepresented Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech. The BBC is expected to review editorial practices.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) director general Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness announced his resignation on Sunday, November 9 following a row over the editing of a documentary about US President Donald Trump. Tim Davie and the BBC’s head of news, Deborah Turness, resigned after accusations that a documentary by its flagship Panorama programme edited a speech by Trump in a misleading way. “Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable,” Davie said in a statement posted on the BBC website.
“While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision… I have to take ultimate responsibility.” Davie’s departure comes a week after The Sunday Telegraph leaked an internal memo raising concerns about the documentary. Earlier, the UK Culture, Media and Sport Minister Lisa Nandy described the allegations as “incredibly serious”. Donald Trump said “corrupt journalists” had been exposed, adding “these are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election.”
What Is The Issue About?
The controversy began when an internal memo leaked to The Sunday Telegraph claimed that producers had edited together two separate parts of Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech, creating the false impression that he had directly urged supporters to march to the US Capitol. The programme aired shortly before the US election, prompting criticism that the edit could mislead viewers and undermine journalistic impartiality. In his resignation statement, Davie said the BBC must remain “open, transparent and accountable”, admitting that the debate surrounding its news output influenced his decision to step down.
BBC could issue a formal apology and conduct an internal review of its editorial practices. Meanwhile, Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee has requested an explanation from BBC leadership regarding how the error occurred and what measures will prevent future breaches.
(With inputs from AFP)