Ex-BBC Board Member Criticises Chair Over Handling of Bias Crisis in Resignation Letter
A former BBC board member has publicly criticised the corporation’s chair, Samir Shah, over the handling of a high-profile bias controversy that led to the resignations of Director General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness. Shumeet Banerji, who resigned last Friday, shared his resignation letter with BBC News, detailing what he described as governance failures at the top of the broadcaster.
In his letter, Banerji said he was “not invited to any meeting where a matter of such importance was to be discussed” and that Turness had been informed she “did not have the confidence of a majority of the board” before he was consulted. Banerji added that he could not participate in board decisions that he had not been adequately briefed on or involved in.
The dispute centers on fallout from a Panorama episode that controversially edited portions of former US President Donald Trump’s 2021 speech, leading to internal and external scrutiny after a leaked memo from former adviser Michael Prescott.
Shah, speaking to a parliamentary committee, claimed he had consulted Banerji, noting a 26-minute phone call, and expressed surprise at the resignation letter’s allegations. Banerji, however, argued that board meetings, where reasoned discussion is expected, had excluded him, raising questions about transparency and decision-making at the BBC’s highest levels.
The revelations in Banerji’s letter have reignited debate over governance and oversight at the BBC, highlighting tensions between board members and raising broader questions about how the broadcaster manages internal crises and editorial accountability.
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