BBC Chairman Faces Scrutiny Over Bias Claims

Published: 25 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

The BBC is facing intense scrutiny as chairman Samir Shah defended his leadership amid claims of bias and internal turmoil. Shah insisted he will not resign, despite public concern over divisions on the corporation’s board and a series of high-profile departures.

The controversy stems from a Panorama documentary in which a speech by Donald Trump was edited to create a misleading impression, prompting legal action from the former US president seeking up to $5bn in damages. Shah admitted the editing misled viewers but defended the decision, citing a “plausible case” for splicing segments of Trump’s speech together, despite acknowledging that it delayed addressing the issue by nearly a year.

During a Commons culture, media, and sport committee hearing, MPs repeatedly questioned Shah over whether he was fit to lead the broadcaster. Fellow directors described sharp differences of opinion within the board regarding the BBC’s response to the revelations. Caroline Thomson, who leads an internal review of editorial standards, acknowledged ongoing disagreements among directors about how to handle the scandal.

Sir Robbie Gibb, a non-executive director appointed in 2021, denied claims that he was part of a right-wing internal coup, calling such accusations “complete nonsense.” Questions over Shah’s position intensified after board member Shumeet Banerji resigned, following earlier departures by director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness over similar allegations of bias.

Labour MPs pressed Shah on whether the resignations reflected a failure in his leadership. He maintained that he intends to “steady the ship” and appoint a replacement for Davie, whom he described as “an outstanding director-general” despite errors during his tenure. Critics, however, accused Shah of being in “total denial” about the BBC’s crisis. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice called for Shah’s resignation, claiming the chairman was unaware of the broadcaster’s reputational collapse.

Shah apologised to viewers and licence-fee payers for the mistakes outlined in a leaked memo by former editorial standards adviser Michael Prescott, but he did not offer a direct apology to Trump. He explained that differing opinions within the BBC led to a delayed correction and stated that the corporation needed a deputy director-general to oversee editorial journalism more effectively.

The BBC has now advertised the post of director-general, seeking candidates demonstrating impartiality, editorial independence, and the capacity to manage the pressures inherent to the role. Prescott also testified that systemic issues within the BBC persist, warning that problems identified in previous internal reviews had not been adequately addressed.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said Shah appeared indecisive, balancing denial with acknowledgement of problems, and questioned whether he was fit for the role. The hearings highlighted not only internal division at the BBC but also growing public concern over its impartiality and governance.