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The BBC has issued an apology to Jack Murley, a former radio presenter, following an internal inquiry that uncovered a failure to adequately address homophobic abuse he experienced while working at the corporation. Murley reported being subjected to offensive name-calling, including being referred to as “fairy boy” by some colleagues, and recalled being advised by a manager to “sound less gay” when on air.
At 37 years old, Murley’s dismissal from BBC Radio Cornwall in 2024 came after he posted online about potential changes to BBC Local, which was deemed a violation of the corporation’s editorial and social media policies. An employment tribunal later ruled that his termination was justified and unrelated to discrimination based on his sexuality. Despite this, Jason Horton, the BBC’s chief operating officer for Nations, formally apologized to Murley in a letter, expressing regret over the inappropriate behavior and remarks he endured. Horton noted that steps had been taken to improve the workplace culture and respond to the recommendations from the investigation, although the BBC did not accept liability for compensation.
Murley expressed appreciation for the colleagues who came forward to provide witness testimony on his behalf. He highlighted the contrast between producing an award-winning LGBTQ+ show and facing bigotry from within the organization. “At a time when I was producing an award-winning LGBTQ+ show for the BBC, I was being subjected to the kind of homophobic and bigoted behaviours from BBC staff members that would have been unacceptable decades ago – let alone in a modern workplace,” he said. Murley further remarked that the BBC’s acknowledgment confirms that those in authority fostered and allowed an environment where such abuse was tolerated, both explicitly and implicitly.
A leaked whistleblowing report from the BBC’s internal investigation detailed the examination of 12 allegations regarding abusive conduct and managerial inaction. The inquiry found that eight of these complaints warranted further consideration. Collected statements featured Murley’s experiences and those of other employees, many of whom chose to remain anonymous due to fears of retaliation. Among the incidents cited were a staff member’s use of homophobic language while addressing Murley about a parking dispute, a colleague telling a joke containing a homophobic slur, and disparaging remarks made in the kitchen about Murley’s eligibility to donate blood following changes in legislation. Additionally, Murley reported ongoing homophobic harassment through emails, texts, phone calls, and even physical mail containing Bible verses with derogatory messages. When he raised these issues with a senior manager, the response was dismissive, suggesting Murley simply be “less gay” on air, a claim supported by witness evidence in the report
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