**Tim Davie Resigns as BBC Director General Following Controversy Over Panorama Documentary**
*By Aleks Phillips | BBC News | 9 November 2025*
Tim Davie has resigned as the director general of the BBC amid criticism that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by former US President Donald Trump.
Deborah Turness, the head of News at the corporation, has also stepped down over the issue.
Davie had held the top job for five years but recently faced increasing pressure following a series of missteps and allegations of bias within the organisation.
The controversy arose after The Telegraph published details of a leaked internal BBC memo suggesting that the Panorama programme edited two parts of Trump’s speech together to make it appear as though he explicitly encouraged the Capitol Hill riots of January 2021.
Announcing his resignation on Sunday evening, Davie said:
“Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision. Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director general I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
In his speech in Washington, D.C., on 6 January 2021, Trump said:
“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”
However, in the Panorama edit, he appeared to say:
“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol” and referred to a “propaganda machine,” implying different intentions than the original speech.
The decision by Davie to step down marks a significant moment for the BBC as it navigates challenges related to editorial integrity and public trust.
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**Community Reactions**
On social media and public forums, reactions were mixed:
– *MinorityRepublican* asked, “Good. But who is replacing him?”
– *CondoleezzaProtege* commented, “They just fired the head waiter on the Titanic.”
– *iamgalt* replied, “Aye, there’s the rub.”
– *dfwgator* noted, “He talks like he had nothing to do with it. Mistakes were made and some people did something.”
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**Related Topics:** United Kingdom, BBC, Media Ethics, US Capitol Riots
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*Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BBC or Free Republic.*
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