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Senior individuals connected to the recent controversies at the BBC are set to appear before MPs on Monday for questioning. Michael Prescott, a former editorial adviser who raised alarms about the BBC’s coverage, including issues surrounding the editing of a Donald Trump speech in Panorama, will give his first public testimony to a House of Commons committee. Prescott’s internal memo, which was leaked to the media, triggered the resignations of the BBC’s director general and head of news earlier this month.
In addition to Prescott, BBC chairman Samir Shah will also provide evidence, facing scrutiny over his management of the situation. Other board members expected to participate include Sir Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson. Caroline Daniel, another former editorial adviser, is scheduled to meet the Culture, Media and Sport Committee later in the day. The witnesses are likely to undergo rigorous questioning, where they will discuss the current state of the BBC’s journalism and give their accounts of behind-the-scenes events.
The turmoil continues as one board member, Shumeet Banerji, resigned on Friday citing “governance issues” at the organisation’s highest levels—a move interpreted by some as a direct critique of Shah. Banerji’s exit adds further significance to Monday’s hearing, especially for Shah. Sir Robbie Gibb’s role, given his background as a former senior BBC editor and communications director for a former Conservative Prime Minister, is also expected to come under detailed examination.
Following the fallout from Prescott’s memo, the BBC’s director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resigned amid criticism. Shah has publicly apologised for an “error of judgment” regarding the controversial Panorama edit that spliced together two parts of Trump’s 6 January 2021 speech. Prescott’s concerns extended beyond this issue, highlighting “systemic problems” such as bias in BBC Arabic’s coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict and partial reporting on transgender topics. Conservative MP Caroline Dinenage, chairwoman of the committee, described Davie’s resignation as “regrettable” but emphasised that rebuilding public trust should be a priority for the BBC moving forward.
The recent controversy has intensified broader discussions about the corporation’s future and its editorial independence. Allegations of systemic bias and political interference have gained attention, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy acknowledging that perceived political influence poses a “problem.” She expressed worry that political appointments to the BBC board have undermined public confidence in the broadcaster’s impartiality and pledged to address this during the upcoming charter review.
Sir Robbie Gibb, who joined the board through a Conservative government appointment in 2021, has faced accusations of meddling in editorial decisions. He currently serves on the BBC board’s editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), along with Shah, the former director general Davie, and former COO Caroline Thomson. The parliamentary committee’s Monday session is set to explore how the EGSC oversees compliance with editorial guidelines and manages risks related to output.
Both Prescott, who previously worked as a political editor at the Sunday Times, and Daniel, a former assistant editor at the Financial Times, were appointed in 2022 as the BBC’s first external editorial experts to advise the EGSC on editorial concerns. This hearing coincides with ongoing uncertainties about whether Donald Trump will pursue legal action against the BBC, following his threat to sue over the Panorama edit for amounts between $1 billion and $5 billion
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