BBC Director General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness resigned on Monday following allegations that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing President Donald Trump’s speech about the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
In his resignation statement, Davie said, “Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility.” The controversy centers around the documentary *Trump: A Second Chance?*, which, according to a leaked internal BBC memo, edited two parts of Trump’s speech to make him appear to explicitly encourage the Capitol Hill riots.
The memo was reported by The Telegraph and came from Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the broadcaster’s editorial standards committee who left his role in June.
Deborah Turness, who joined BBC News as CEO in 2022 and oversees a team of approximately 6,000 people, stated that the controversy “has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC.” Confirming her resignation, she added, “The buck stops with me,” noting that she offered her resignation on Saturday.
Tim Davie had spent 20 years with the corporation and became Director General in September 2020. Throughout his tenure, he survived multiple scandals, earning the nickname “Teflon Tim.”
BBC Chair Samir Shah described Monday as “a sad day for the BBC” and thanked both officials for their service. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy praised Davie for leading the organization “through a period of significant change.”
The resignations come at a critical juncture for the BBC, as the government plans to review the corporation’s royal charter before its current term expires in 2027.
In response to the news, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted screenshots of articles side by side on X with the words “shot” and “chaser.” She had previously called the BBC “100% fake news” in reaction to the documentary.
**Related:** [Leaked Dossier Accuses BBC Of Doctoring Trump’s January 6 Speech In Documentary: REPORT]
https://dailycaller.com/2025/11/09/bbc-chiefs-tim-davie-deborah-turness-resign-trump-panorama-documentary-edits/
