BBC bosses quit in disgrace after corporation admits doctoring Donald Trump video and is accused of bias on war in Gaza and transgender reports

BBC director general Tim Davie sensationally resigned tonight after a week of crisis.

The national broadcaster has been rocked by an impartiality row after an internal report accused it of bias, censorship and altering images of Donald Trump.

Mr Davie admitted ‘mistakes’ had been made, adding: ‘I must take ultimate responsibility.’ BBC News CEO Deborah Turness also resigned, saying ‘this job will be up to me’.

Ms Turness admitted editing footage of the US President in the Panorama documentary caused ‘damage’ to the BBC.

Mr Trump posted on Truth Social tonight: ‘The TOP people at the BBC are all resigning/fired, including TIM DAVIE and THE BOSS, because they were caught “editing” my very good (EXCELLENT!) speech on January 6th.’

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that the company was “100 percent fake news.” Ms Leavitt last night posted a screenshot of her comments alongside the company’s announcement of Mr Davie’s resignation. “Shot” and “Follower” he captioned the tweet.

While both executives resigned rather than be sacked, BBC chief Samir Shah described it as a ‘sad day’.

A BBC insider told the Daily Mail that Mr Davie was “furious” at political leaders who “jumped on the report to bring him down”.

BBC News CEO Deborah Turness (pictured) also resigned, saying “it’s up to me”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said on Wednesday that ‘heads should roll’ at the revelations, which she described as ‘absolutely shocking’.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson said in his column in the Mail on Saturday (later shared online by Mr Trump) that Mr Davie must either break his silence and reveal the Trump affair or resign or refuse to pay the license fee. Reform leader Nigel Farage accused Mr Davie of ‘double standards’ over his handling of the crisis.

The Mail on Sunday also revealed that two leading BBC presenters claimed voicing concerns about the story was part of a political campaign to ‘destroy’ the company. Nick Robinson’s remarks, confirmed by veteran reporter John Simpson, were swiftly condemned as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘arrogant’ by Mr Johnson.

Ms Badenoch said tonight it was ‘right that Tim Davie and Deborah Turness should finally take responsibility and resign’.

But he added: ‘Let’s be honest, this is a catalog of serious failures that go much deeper.

‘The Prescott report exposed institutional bias that cannot be eliminated by two resignations; Strong steps need to be taken on all the issues it brings to the agenda.

‘The culture at the BBC has not changed yet. BBC Arabic must be brought under urgent control. The BBC’s US and Middle East coverage needs a complete overhaul. And on fundamental issues of biology, the company can no longer allow its production to be shaped by a cabal of ideological activists.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt released two screenshots of news articles along with a two-word response to Mr. Davie’s departure

Mr Trump also shared a Daily Mail column from Boris Johnson in which the former Prime Minister promised to cut the license fee over the neutrality issue.

‘The new leadership now needs to deliver a real reform of the BBC culture from top to bottom.’

Senior Conservative MP James Cleverly said the BBC’s problem was ‘a failure to recognize its own bias’.

He added: ‘They saw each ‘mistake’ as an isolated case and could not or would not see a wider pattern. I want the BBC to succeed, it is a strong British brand but it needs a kick in the ass to make it happen. Maybe this is it.”

Mr Davie’s resignation brings to an end a 20-year career at the BBC, where he rose to the position of director of marketing, communications and audiences.

Since taking the top job in 2020, the company has faced multiple crises, including the prosecution of newsreader Huw Edwards for possessing indecent images of children, the sacking of MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode, and Bob Vylan’s broadcast performance at Glastonbury with the lead singer chanting ‘death to the IDF’.

But what led to the chief executive’s dismissal was a report by Michael Prescott, a former adviser to the company’s editorial watchdog. In a 19-page document, he accused the company of rigging a speech by Mr. Trump and censoring discussion of transgender issues and said its Gaza coverage was biased.

Mr Davie said he wanted to hand over the role to a new director general ahead of Royal Charter renewal negotiations with the Government, which will decide on the broadcaster’s future funding model.

In a note to staff tonight he said: ‘Like all public institutions, the BBC is not perfect and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. While not the sole reason, the current debate around BBC News understandably contributed to my decision.

‘The BBC is performing well overall but some mistakes have been made and as director general I must take ultimate responsibility.’

BBC chief Mr Shah said: ‘This is a sad day for the BBC. Tim has been an outstanding managing director over the last five years. He had the full support of me and the board of directors from beginning to end. However, I understand that the ongoing pressure on him personally and professionally led him to make this decision. The entire board respects the decision and its reasons.’

Ms Turness, who was poached from ITN by Mr Davie three years ago, told staff: ‘The ongoing debate around Panorama regarding President Trump has reached a stage where it is damaging to the BBC, an institution I love. In public life, leaders need to be fully accountable, and that’s why I’m resigning.

‘While mistakes have been made, I would like to make clear that recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are false.’

Mr Farage said the resignations ‘must be the start of wholesale change’. He added: ‘The government needs to come in and appoint someone with a track record of turning companies and their cultures around. This is the BBC’s last chance. If they don’t get it right, there will be a lot of people refusing to pay the license fee.’

Ms Turness, who was poached from ITN by Mr Davie three years ago, told staff: ‘The ongoing debate around Panorama regarding President Trump has reached a stage where it is damaging to the BBC, an institution I love.’

Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said: ‘I would like to thank Tim Davie for his many years of service to public broadcasting. ‘As a government, we will support the board as they manage this transition and ensure the Charter Review is the catalyst to help the BBC adapt to this new era.’

Mr Davie’s resignation came just hours after the Mail contacted the BBC with serious allegations that the board had ignored calls for an investigation into anti-Semitism at the company.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism called for an independent investigation. Tonight he added: ‘Until an independent investigation comes along, it is unconscionable to force taxpayers to pay for a biased, arrogant and unaccountable BBC.’

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called for ‘deep cultural change’ at the company, adding that the two resignations ‘should be seen as the beginning, not the end, of a process of renewal’.