Tim Davie resigns as BBC director general after accusations of 'serious and systemic' bias in coverage
Last edited Sun Nov 9, 2025, 02:31 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: The Guardian
Sun 9 Nov 2025 13.07 EST
Last modified on Sun 9 Nov 2025 14.21 EST
Tim Davie, the BBCs director general, and the head of BBC News have resigned after a former adviser to the corporation accused it of serious and systemic bias in its coverage of issues including Donald Trump, Gaza and trans rights.
In a shock move, Davie said his depature was his own, but comes with the BBC preparing to apologise for the way the broadcaster edited a Donald Trump speech. Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, has also resigned. It follows claims by a former adviser to the broadcaster that it suffered from bias.
The Commons culture, media and sport select committee has given the BBC a deadline of Monday to respond to the claims made by Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to its editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC). He left that role in the summer.
Davie sent a note to BBC staff on Sunday afternoon saying: 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.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/09/tim-davie-expected-to-resign-bbc-director-general
Article updated.
Original article/headline -
Sun 9 Nov 2025 13.07 EST
Last modified on Sun 9 Nov 2025 13.20 EST
Tim Davie, the BBCs director general, and the head of BBC News have resigned after a former adviser to the corporation accused it of serious and systemic bias in its coverage of issues including Donald Trump, Gaza and trans rights.
In a shock move, Davie said his depature was his own, but comes with the BBC preparing to apologise for the way the broadcaster edited a Donald Trump speech. Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, has also resigned. It follows claims by a former adviser to the broadcaster that it suffered from bias.
The Commons culture, media and sport select committee has given the BBC a deadline of Monday to respond to the claims made by Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to its editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC). He left that role in the summer.
Davie sent a note to BBC staff on Sunday afternoon saying: 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.
not fooled
(6,521 posts)The Guardian has other articles which give more backstory. Ugh.
James48
(5,050 posts)Than the Trump admin will ever be.
choie
(6,405 posts)institutions has infiltrated Great Britains?
wolfie001
(6,524 posts)JK Rowling
LudwigPastorius
(13,810 posts)I wonder what Trump threatened to withhold. ...U.S. spy satellite and military intel?
J_William_Ryan
(3,150 posts)criticised the editing of Trumps speech in an edition of Panorama, which spliced together clips from an address the US president made on 6 January 2021. The edit suggested Trump told the crowd: Were going to walk down to the Capitol and Ill be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.
The words were taken from sections of his speech almost an hour apart.
Trump did tell his fellow treasonous insurrectionists to go to the Capitol and attempt to overturn the election.