BBC director-general and news chief resign amid bias row

Published: 10 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness have resigned, closing a turbulent chapter in the broadcaster’s recent history. Their departures come after the corporation faced mounting criticism over accusations of institutional bias, most recently sparked by an edited clip of Donald Trump’s speech in a Panorama documentary.

While the controversy over the Trump clip was the tipping point, it was only one of several scandals and disputes over impartiality that have challenged the BBC in recent years. In his resignation statement, Davie acknowledged that “there have been some mistakes” during his tenure but emphasised that leaving was “entirely my decision.” He paid tribute to the BBC, describing it as “of unique value and speaks to the very best of us,” while admitting the organisation “is not perfect and must always be open, transparent and accountable.”

Turness also accepted errors had occurred but defended the integrity of the news division, stating she was “absolutely clear [that] recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.”

Tim Davie, 58, became director-general in September 2020. A former Conservative Party council candidate, he first joined the BBC in 2005 as marketing director and later served as Director of Audio & Music, joining the Executive Board. He briefly acted as director-general in 2012-2013 before Tony Hall took over and later became chief executive of BBC Studios.

Deborah Turness had been CEO of BBC News since 2022, managing a team of around 6,000 people delivering content to nearly half a billion viewers worldwide in more than 40 languages. She previously held senior roles at NBC News and ITN.

The resignation followed the Panorama episode Trump: A Second Chance?, which spliced together parts of Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech in a way critics said misrepresented his words. The controversy drew sharp criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the edited clip as “purposefully dishonest” and accused the BBC of spreading “fake news.”

Davie stated that the debate surrounding BBC News contributed to his decision to resign. Turness added that the ongoing controversy had “reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC – an institution that I love” and took responsibility as CEO of BBC News.

Reactions to their resignations varied. Donald Trump praised the departures on social media, while UK politicians responded along party lines. Kemi Badenoch said the pair had “finally taken responsibility,” noting a “catalogue of serious failures” at the broadcaster. Nigel Farage described it as “the start of wholesale change.” Conversely, culture secretary Lisa Nandy thanked Davie for his years of service and leadership during a challenging period, and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the BBC to rebuild trust without bowing to those seeking to undermine it.

The appointment of a new director-general will be made by the BBC Board, chaired by Samir Shah, and consisting of ten non-executive and four executive members, including the director-general. Four non-executive members represent the UK nations.