The BBC has defended its decision to air a documentary on ex-first minister Alex Salmond’s two-week trial on sex assault charges.
It described Kirsty Wark’s The Trial of Alex Salmond as an “accurate and fair reflection of events” and said it will stand by it.
The comments come as Salmond – who was cleared of 13 sexual assault charges including attempted rape – is said to be considering legal action against the BBC for showing the programme last Monday.
It also resulted in a wave of criticism from viewers on social media and 37 complaints were passed to the BBC, via Ofcom.
The programme sparked a backlash from Salmond’s allies.
SNP MP Angus MacNeil said: “The TV retrial seem to be all about the judge that Kirsty Wark wants to be.”
Salmond refused to be interviewed for the programme but some of the complainants spoke to Wark anonymously.
One said that hearing the not guilty verdicts was like being “punched in the stomach”.
Wark described evidence given by Woman H, who had alleged Salmond attempted to rape her, as “devastating”.
The film featured several references to Me Too, a movement which saw women speak out about abuse, often sexual, by men in positions of power.
Salmond has already successfully taken legal action against the Scottish Government’s handling of the claims against him, resulting in a payout of more than £500,000.
At a Holyrood inquiry last week, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans refused to say if female civil servants were advised not to work alone with Salmond at Bute House in the evenings.
Following the verdict, Salmond warned that “certain evidence” would see the “light of day”.
In the coming weeks, he is due to give evidence to a Holyrood inquiry into the Scottish Government’s handling of the allegations.
