In a surprising turn of events, Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, has stepped down amidst controversy surrounding the alteration of a Donald Trump speech for a Panorama episode. This development also sees the resignation of Deborah Turness, the CEO of News, following backlash over accusations that the BBC documentary misled its audience.

In his resignation statement, Mr. Davie acknowledged, “There have been some mistakes made, and as director-general, I have to take ultimate responsibility.” His departure comes at a time when the broadcaster is already tangled in a series of challenges, as an internal report recently unveiled several incidents pointing to potential bias in the BBC’s reporting practices.

The controversy centers around the editing of clips from Mr. Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech. The documentary allegedly manipulated sections to imply that Trump was inciting his supporters to march to the US Capitol and “fight like hell.” This episode, titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” was aired by the BBC shortly before last year’s US election, adding fuel to the fire of already heated debates.

It comes after the scandal-hit broadcaster was this week plunged into a fresh crisis after an internal dossier exposed a string of incidents that demonstrate serious apparent bias in the Corporation’s reporting. 

The concerns regard clips spliced together from sections of Mr Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021, to make it appear he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to ‘fight like hell’.

The documentary ‘Trump: A Second Chance?’ was broadcast by the BBC the week before last year’s US election. 

Mr Trump’s White House has since accused the BBC of ‘100 per cent fake news’.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: ‘This purposefully dishonestly, selectively edited clip by the BBC is further evidence that they are total, 100 per cent fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom. 

The BBC’s director-general Tim Davie (pictured in January) has resigned amid a row over the doctoring of a Donald Trump speech for a Panorama episode. 

Deborah Turness (pictured in October 2022), the CEO of News, has also resigned following criticism that the BBC documentary misled viewers

Following Davie’s departure, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: ‘I want to thank Tim Davie for his service to public broadcasting over many years. 

‘He has led the BBC through a period of significant change and helped the organisation to grip the challenges it has faced in recent years.’

‘Now more than ever, the need for trusted news and high quality programming is essential to our democratic and cultural life, and our place in the world.

‘As a government, we will support the Board as it manages this transition and ensure that the Charter Review is the catalyst that helps the BBC to adapt to this new era and secures its role at the heart of national life for decades to come.’

The resignations also follow a newsroom revolt after a newsreader who corrected ‘pregnant people’ to ‘women’ while live on air was rebuked. 

The BBC has also faced fierce criticism for its coverage of the Israel-Gaza war and transgender rights.  

While the dossier, written by former journalist Michael Prescott and sent to the BBC board, also raised serious concerns about BBC Arabic’s reporting on Gaza. 

The corporation had already been under pressure after admitting to breaking editorial guidelines when Bob Vylan’s ‘deeply-offensive’ chant of ‘death to the IDF’ at Glastonbury was broadcast live to millions.

The White House had accused the broadcaster of spreading ‘100 per cent fake news’

There was a nationwide backlash to the set, which saw Vylan lead the crowd in a chant of ‘death, death to the IDF’, as well as ‘from the river to the sea’, and used the term ‘f****** Zionists’. 

The band’s frontman, real name Pascal Robinson-Foster, even claimed that BBC staff on the ground at the event told him that they ‘loved’ his set, and called it ‘fantastic’. 

Mr Davie was forced to apologise to the Commons’ culture select committee, and told staff the broadcast was ‘deeply-offensive’ and ‘totally unacceptance’.

Following his departure, Mr Davie said: ‘I wanted to let you know that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years. This is entirely my decision, and I remain very thankful to the Chair and Board for their unswerving and unanimous support throughout my entire tenure, including during recent days.

‘I am working through exact timings with the Board to allow for an orderly transition to a successor over the coming months.

‘I have been reflecting on the very intense personal and professional demands of managing this role over many years in these febrile times, combined with the fact that I want to give a successor time to help shape the Charter plans they will be delivering.

‘In these increasingly polarised times, the BBC is of unique value and speaks to the very best of us. It helps make the UK a special place; overwhelmingly kind, tolerant and curious. Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision.

‘Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility.’

The BBC came under fire after it broadcast Bob Vylan’s ‘deeply-offensive’ chant of ‘death to the IDF’ at Glastonbury

BBC Chairman Samir Shah said it was a ‘sad day’ for the corporation.

‘Tim has been an outstanding director-general for the last five years. He has propelled the BBC forward with determination, single-mindedness and foresight.

‘He has had the full support of me and the Board throughout. However, I understand the continued pressure on him, personally and professionally, which has led him to take this decision today. The whole Board respects the decision and the reasons for it.

‘Tim has given 20 years of his life to the BBC. He is a devoted and inspirational leader and an absolute believer in the BBC and public service broadcasting. He has achieved a great deal. Foremost, under his tenure, the transformation of the BBC to meet the challenges in a world of unprecedented change and competition is well underway.

‘Personally, I will miss his stamina, good humour and resilience and I will miss working with him. I wish him and his family the very best for the future.

‘This is an important time for the Corporation and the Board and I will continue to work with Tim in the interim while we conduct the process to appoint his successor.’

The BBC has faced intense criticism in recent weeks over the balance of its coverage. 

On Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, broadcaster Nick Robinson acknowledged that there was ‘a genuine concern about editorial standards and mistakes’ at the national broadcaster, but went on to say: ‘There is also a political campaign by people who want to destroy the organisation that you are currently listening to. Both things are happening at the same time.’ 

His remarks – later endorsed as ‘exactly right’ by veteran reporter John Simpson – were swiftly condemned as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘arrogant’ by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose vow to withhold his licence fee over the impartiality issue sparked the outburst.

Reform MP Rupert Lowe said Mr Davie’s resignation was ‘good news’.

In a post on X, he wrote: ‘BBC director-general Tim Davie resigning – good news.

‘This is the start of the end for the BBC licence fee.

‘Make it a subscription service and let the British people decide if they wish to fund such woke insufferable guff.

‘I will certainly not be paying.’

The resignations comes after the BBC’s internal watchdogs censured newsreader Martine Croxall after she corrected the phrase ‘pregnant people’ to ‘women’ live on air. 

Ms Croxall, 56, was introducing a segment on Britain’s heatwave in June when the autocue instructed her to report that ‘pregnant people’ should take precautions. After briefly reading the line, she corrected it with a raise of the eyebrow.

But in a ruling that has stunned other BBC journalists, the Corporation’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) last week found that Croxall breached impartiality rules, concluding that her facial expression gave a ‘strong impression of expressing a personal view on a controversial matter.

Sources say the censure is a ‘turning point’ for the BBC amid a growing rift between the newsroom and bosses. 

Mr Davie, who became the director-general of the BBC in September 2020, was tasked with overseeing the broadcaster’s services as its editorial, operational and creative leader. 

He also acted at the director-general between November 2012 and April 2013 and is stepping down after 20 years at the corporation.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.