Top BBC leaders resign amid controversy over editing of Trump speech

The BBC’s director-general, Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness, have both resigned following mounting criticism over how the broadcaster edited a speech made by U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021. The controversy centers on a BBC documentary that condensed Trump’s remarks in a way critics say removed his call for supporters to protest “peacefully,” making the footage appear more inflammatory than the original speech.

A clip circulated by The Daily Telegraph appeared to combine separate lines of Trump’s speech, showing him urging supporters to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” In the full version of the speech, Trump also said demonstrators should make their voices heard “peacefully and patriotically.”
In statements to staff, Davie and Turness said they were stepping down to take responsibility for the mistake and prevent further damage to the BBC. Both rejected claims that the organization is driven by political bias, with Turness saying accusations of institutional bias are “wrong.”

Trump celebrated the resignations on his social media platform, accusing the BBC of trying to influence public opinion. The resignations also come amid broader scrutiny of the BBC’s coverage of topics including transgender rights and the Israel-Hamas war. The broadcaster, which is funded by a public license fee, is required to maintain impartiality in its news coverage. Political reactions in the U.K. were split. Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch accused the BBC of “institutional bias” and called for cultural reform. Media Minister Lisa Nandy, from the ruling Labour government, thanked Davie for his leadership and emphasized the continued importance of a strong public broadcaster.