BBC Issues Apology for Failing to Protect Female Employees from Stalker’s Abuse

The broadcaster admits shortcomings in addressing years of harassment by Alex Belfield, who was jailed in 2022 for stalking Jeremy Vine and others.

The BBC has apologized to four former female employees for not adequately addressing their complaints of abuse by ex-presenter Alex Belfield.
Belfield, who was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to five and a half years in prison, targeted the women with emails, social media posts, and videos over several years.
The women accused the BBC of ignoring their warnings until high-profile presenter Jeremy Vine became a target, with some being told to 'man up' and 'ignore and delete' abusive emails.
The corporation admitted it failed to understand the full impact of Belfield’s behavior and has since implemented new tools and resources to address online abuse and support staff mental health.
Despite the apology, the women, who have all left the BBC, criticized the broadcaster for rejecting calls for an independent inquiry into how their complaints were handled.