Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, and Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, have both announced their resignations, effective after an orderly transition. Their departures follow accusations of “serious and systemic” bias in the corporation's coverage, most notably concerning a Panorama documentary on Donald Trump, as well as other issues including Gaza and trans rights.

Davie, who had served as DG for over five years and was previously nicknamed “Teflon Tim” for his ability to remain unscathed by scandals, acknowledged that the current debate surrounding BBC News “understandably contributed” to his decision. He also admitted that “some mistakes have been made” and that he takes ultimate responsibility.

The immediate trigger for the crisis was a leaked report by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee. Prescott's report, provided to The Daily Telegraph, alleged that the Panorama program “Trump: A Second Chance?” had selectively edited a speech given by Donald Trump on January 6, 2021. The documentary reportedly made it appear that Trump had explicitly encouraged his supporters to march to the US Capitol and “fight like hell,” by omitting a section where he called for peaceful demonstration.

This Panorama documentary was broadcast the week before last year’s US election, prompting critics to label it misleading.

Donald Trump reacted scathingly on his social media platform Truth Social, thanking The Telegraph for exposing what he called “Corrupt ‘Journalists’” and accusing the BBC of “doctoring” his “perfect” speech. He claimed these revelations proved his long-standing assertion that mainstream media outlets were engaged in a coordinated campaign to discredit him and manipulate public perception, insisting that the BBC’s actions were “a disgrace to honest journalism.”