Britain's outgoing BBC boss praises its journalism despite crisis

The outgoing boss of Britain’s BBC broadcaster said on Tuesday he was proud of its journalism, despite quitting after accusations of bias and the threat of legal action from U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I’m very, very proud of our journalists in this building. They’re doing work I think is incredibly important,” Tim Davie said outside BBC headquarters in London in his first public comments since announcing his resignation on Sunday.

“They’re doing a wonderful job.”

The publicly-funded British Broadcasting Corporation’s head of news also quit, plunging it into its biggest crisis in decades and dominating British headlines.

Analysts say the resignations have exposed deep frictions over governance and editorial standards, raising questions about whether the BBC can maintain public trust.

An internal memo by a former BBC adviser accused it of editorial failings on Trump, the Israel-Hamas war and transgender coverage.

‘BBC IS GOING TO BE THRIVING’

But Davie, who was director general since 2020, tried to calm worries over the broadcaster’s future.

“The BBC is going to be thriving, and I support everyone on the team,” he said on his way into the corporation’s office where he was expected to speak to staff.

Trump has threatened legal action for the editing of a speech he made in 2021 on the day his supporters overran the Capitol.

BBC chair Samir Shah apologised for the “error of judgment” in the edit included in a Panorama documentary aired shortly before the November 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The programme – produced by a third party – spliced together remarks delivered nearly an hour apart, omitting Trump’s call for peaceful protest, creating the impression he urged violence.

The BBC, founded in 1922 and funded largely by a licence fee paid by all TV-owning households, is now without a permanent leader as it faces a review of its funding model.

The current 10-year charter expires in 2027.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the BBC was not “corrupt” or “institutionally biased” and stressed the need for it to maintain high standards.

In a letter to British lawmakers, Shah also rejected claims of systemic bias, saying surveys showed Britons trusted BBC News more than any other outlet.