BBC chairman Samir Shah has said the corporation would like to apologise for an “error of judgment” over the editing of a speech by Donald Trump for Panorama.
The apology follows the resignation of two of the corporation’s most senior figures on Sunday – chief executive of BBC News Deborah Turness and director-general Tim Davie – who announced their departure from the BBC after concerns were raised in Michael Prescott’s report that the speech had been selectively edited.
Critics said the Panorama documentary, broadcast by the BBC the week before last year’s US election, was misleading and removed a section where Mr Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
Responding to a letter from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS), Mr Shah said there have been more than 500 complaints since the publication of Mr Prescott’s memo, adding: “We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
Mr Shah said it is “simply not true” that Mr Prescott, a former external advisor to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), “uncovered” issues that the BBC has sought to “bury”.
He added: “The issues raised by Mr Prescott are precisely the issues that have been considered by the EGSC and the Board.”
He continued: “There is another view that has gained currency in the coverage that the BBC has done nothing to tackle these problems.
“That is also simply not true.”
Downing Street has said the BBC is not corrupt nor institutionally biased, appearing to hit back at claims by US President Donald Trump and other critics of the public broadcaster.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “On the question of is the BBC corrupt?: No. The BBC has a vital role in an age of disinformation… where there’s a clear argument for a robust, impartial British news service to deliver, and that case is stronger than ever.
“I think I’ve already addressed some of the comments that have been made over the last 24 hours, but we are of the view that it’s important that the BBC acts swiftly to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur.”
The spokesman was also asked if Sir Keir Starmer believed the BBC was institutionally biased, and replied: “No, but it is important that the BBC acts to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur, because as I say, for any public service broadcaster, accountability is vital to maintain trust.”
The spokesman would not say whether the future of the BBC licence fee was on the table as part of a wider review of the broadcaster’s charter.
Mr Trump welcomed the BBC resignations and claimed there had been an attempt to “step on the scales of a presidential election”, adding on social media: “What a terrible thing for Democracy!”
It is understood Sir Keir and Mr Trump have not spoken over the weekend following his criticism, and neither have US and British officials.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said he spoke to Mr Trump on Friday, telling a London press conference: “He just said to me: ‘Is this how you treat your best ally?’
“It’s quite a powerful comment.”
The Prescott memo raised concerns about the way clips of Mr Trump’s speech on January 6 2021 were spliced together to make it appear he had told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to “fight like hell”.
Mr Shah said the EGSC was told by BBC News the purpose of editing the clip was “to convey the message of the speech made by President Trump so that Panorama’s audience could better understand how it had been received by President Trump’s supporters and what was happening on the ground at that time”.
The issue was “considered and discussed as part of a wider review of the BBC’s US election coverage, commissioned by the committee, rather than handled as a specific programme complaint, given it had not attracted significant audience feedback and had been transmitted before the US election, so the point wasn’t pursued further that that time”, he added.
The letter continued: “The points raised in the review were relayed to the Panorama team, including the decision making on this edit. With hindsight, it would have been better to take more formal action.”
Mr Shah said the BBC board will revisit every item set out in Mr Prescott’s memo, including the editing of the Trump speech and the reporting of casualty figures in Gaza and “will take further action where appropriate.”
He added: “I would like to assure you and the committee that I am absolutely clear that the BBC must champion impartiality… There is an increasing need for the public to be informed in a way that is impartial, truthful and is based on evidence they can trust. That is the sacred job of the BBC.”
The resignation of Mr Davie and Ms Turness on Sunday followed days of pressure on the broadcaster over the matter.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Davie, who had been in the role for five years, said that the BBC was “delivering well” overall, but added “there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility”.
