Overview
- BBC chair Samir Shah sent a personal apology to the president over a Panorama montage that misrepresented parts of his January 6, 2021 speech.
- The BBC says there is no legal basis for defamation, noting the film was not available in the United States and did not impede his re-election, and it has pulled the documentary from rebroadcast.
- Trump now says he will file suit seeking between $1 billion and $5 billion as soon as next week, escalating from his earlier $1 billion threat tied to an apology and withdrawal demand.
- The corporation has opened an investigation into a reported 2022 Newsnight segment that allegedly used a similar montage, following a Telegraph account and internal alerts.
- The controversy has already prompted the resignations of director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged the BBC to uphold the highest standards while backing its independence.