Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, is facing mounting pressure over a series of controversies, prompting a sharp rebuke from Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. In a pointed intervention, Ms Nandy summoned BBC chairman Samir Shah for urgent talks following the corporation’s mishandling of a Glastonbury broadcast in which chants of “death to the IDF” aired live. Mr Davie, who was present at the festival, is also bracing for the delayed release of a damning internal report on a Gaza documentary, which critics claim failed to meet the BBC’s own editorial standards.
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The fallout from both incidents has triggered widespread criticism. The Campaign Against Antisemitism has called for Mr Davie’s dismissal, describing the airing of Bob Vylan’s controversial performance as “genocidal chanting” and accusing the BBC of endangering British Jews. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis branded the response “belated and mishandled”, adding it had driven confidence in the broadcaster “to a new low”. Despite instructing that the performance not be made available on-demand, Mr Davie did not stop the livestream, leaving the footage online for several hours.
Adding to the scrutiny is the delayed Gaza documentary report, commissioned after it emerged the child narrator was the son of a Hamas minister. Although the BBC promised a swift review, it remains unpublished five months later. Sources indicate the report is highly critical and points to systemic failures within BBC News. Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale called the delay “extraordinary”, while Labour’s Stuart Andrew warned it could damage public trust in the broadcaster’s impartiality.
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The controversies come at a delicate time, as the BBC prepares for upcoming charter renewal talks with the government. Editorial standards are expected to be central to the discussions. While insiders claim there is still support for Mr Davie on the board, the situation is far from resolved. Ms Nandy has taken a notably firm stance with the BBC leadership, signalling that political tolerance for such missteps is waning. A spokesperson for the BBC stated that the Gaza report would be published “as soon as possible”, emphasising the need for thoroughness in the review process.
