A TV executive who was sacked over bullying allegations has won £500,000 compensation after suing for wrongful dismissal.
Sian Doyle, 58, was removed from her £162,000 per year position as the chief executive at the Welsh language channel S4C last year after being accused by staff of engaging in offensive verbal outbursts.
She was said to have created ‘a culture of fear’ and a ‘dictatorial’ leadership style where she would threaten to fire fellow workers.
But the former boss launched a High Court action and pursued an Employment Tribunal for wrongful dismissal saying she was on sick leave when she was axed – and unable to dispute the claims.
Ms Doyle was the centre of a damning report released in 2023 which included evidence from her colleagues who had been highly critical of her leadership at S4C.
She said that she did not ‘recognise or accept’ the allegations after the report was published.
Staff listed more than 100 examples of ‘bad behaviour’ by Ms Doyle during an independent review.
Among the findings were that Doyle once said: ‘Who the fuck are they [the presenters]? Who is watching this rubbish?’
Sian Doyle, 58, lost her £162,000 a year role as the chief executive last year from the Welsh language channel S4C after staff accused her of launching foul-mouthed rants
The former TV executive has won £500,000 compensation after suing for wrongful dismissal
Another witness said: ‘She was just wild and then said: ‘He has to go. I’m not going to have anyone like that working here’. That is a paraphrase of her words. She was just telling a room full: ‘that’s it.. He has to go. I’m going to get rid of him.’
Speaking of one female worker, Doyle allegedly said: ‘She’s f***ing gone, she shows me no respect. ‘I’ll get rid of her like that.’
The report revealed that ten people broke down in tears while giving evidence, while 11 others said working at the broadcaster had a ‘detrimental effect on their health’.
One said: ‘The chief executive had put me in a very nasty position, many other staff too, I was aware of that.
‘But my friends and my family worried a lot about my mental health at the time. I had become very tearful. I couldn’t sleep.’
The report added: ‘Participants reported that Sian Doyle’s leadership style was: ‘dictatorial creating a culture of fear’.
Ms Doyle is understood to have halted the actions after receiving a settlement of more than £500,000, but the channel have not accepted any admission of liability.
Her husband Rob Doyle claimed the report into allegations of bullying was ‘one-sided’ and ‘the last straw’ for his wife.
The channel was rocked by scandal after another boss, chief content officer Llinos Griffin-Williams (pictured) was sacked after she allegedly criticised former Wales rugby star Mike Phillips’ Welsh language skills
She had been rushed to hospital after overdosing and becoming unresponsive.
After being sacked, Ms Doyle said: ‘I am so saddened to read the Capital Law report into the working culture of S4C. I do not recognise or accept the allegations made and they do not reflect my 30-year career in business.’
It comes after her fellow former executive, Llinos Griffin-Williams, 42, was also sacked as the channel’s chief content officer for ‘gross misconduct’.
She is alleged to have hurled abusive language at ex-Wales rugby player Mike Phillips at an after party following the Wales vs Georgia game – and berated him for his Welsh not being good enough.
The mother-of-two was claiming £565,000 for loss of earnings as well as undisclosed claims for reputational damage and injury to her feelings and health.
The channel said: ‘A settlement has been reached with Siân Doyle to bring all her proceedings against S4C and Rhodri Williams to an end.
‘The terms of that agreement are confidential and the settlement has been reached without any admission of liability.
Ex-Wales rugby player and TV pundit Mike Phillips working at the Rugby World Cup in Nantes
‘Continuing with the legal processes would inevitably have involved significant time, cost and stress for all involved. The parties are pleased to have resolved their differences and to have drawn a line under the matter.
‘Following this matter, S4C undertook an independent governance review and has already introduced a new Culture Code and, among other measures, steps to support the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) to ensure that S4C’s values are upheld both on and off screen.
‘S4C will be making no further comment on this matter.’
Ms Doyle’s husband said they hoped the settlement would ‘allow closure’ for his wife and her family.
