London, Nov 10 (V7N) — British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Director-General Tim Davie has resigned following allegations of bias in the network’s investigative documentary series “Panorama,” which focused on U.S. President Donald Trump. Alongside him, BBC’s Head of News, Deborah Turness, also stepped down on Sunday amid mounting controversy over the program’s editing practices.

In his resignation letter, Davie accepted full responsibility for the errors, stating, “Mistakes were made in the documentary. As Director-General, I must take responsibility for them.” Turness echoed a similar sentiment, acknowledging that the final accountability for the issue rested with her.

The controversy stems from claims that the “Panorama” documentary manipulated sections of Trump’s speech, particularly from the events of January 6, 2021, when a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol. According to a leaked internal BBC memo, the documentary edited two separate parts of Trump’s remarks to make it appear as though he was directly urging supporters toward violence.

The leaked memo, authored by Michael Prescott, a former adviser to BBC’s Editorial Standards Committee, stated that “the edit gave the misleading impression that Mr. Trump was encouraging his supporters to march to the Capitol and fight.” Prescott, who had resigned earlier in June, expressed concern over the network’s declining editorial integrity.

British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the documentary, titled “Trump: A Second Chance?”—produced by independent company October Films Ltd.—aired in late 2023 and sparked immediate backlash. The controversy intensified when Trump’s spokesperson, Caroline Leavitt, accused the BBC of being a “100 percent fake news outlet” and a “propaganda machine,” during an interview with The Telegraph.

Adding to the political fallout, British Culture, Media, and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy described the situation as “deeply serious,” noting that “a series of grave allegations have been made against the BBC, including evidence of systemic editorial bias in coverage of critical political issues.”

The documentary’s broadcast on October 28, ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, has raised broader questions about global media integrity and the BBC’s commitment to impartial journalism—a reputation it has long sought to defend.

Both Davie and Turness’ resignations mark one of the most significant leadership crises in the BBC’s recent history, as the broadcaster faces renewed scrutiny over its editorial independence and credibility.

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