Shumeet Banerji, a non‑executive member of the BBC Board, resigned on Friday 21 November, citing “governance issues” at the top of the corporation. In a letter, he said he was not consulted about the events leading to the departures of Director‑General Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness. The BBC confirmed his resignation.
Banerji’s exit follows the resignations of Davie and Turness on 9 November 2025 after controversy over a Panorama programme that spliced parts of Donald Trump’s 6 January 2021 speech. The BBC has apologised for the misleading edit, said it will not rebroadcast the film, and has rejected demands for compensation despite threats of legal action.
Parliament will now examine the board’s oversight. On Monday 24 November, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee is due to hear from former editorial advisers Michael Prescott and Caroline Daniel at 15:30, followed at 16:30 by BBC chair Dr Samir Shah and non‑executive directors Sir Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson. The session will focus on the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee’s processes.
Recent scrutiny has included the way board members are appointed. Under the BBC Charter and the government’s 2024 Mid‑Term Review, ministers appoint five of the ten non‑executive directors - the Chair and one member for each UK nation. Sir Robbie Gibb holds the government‑appointed seat for England.
The immediate trigger for the current crisis was a leaked memorandum from Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee, alleging “systemic issues” in coverage, including the Israel–Gaza conflict and reporting on sex and gender, and highlighting the Panorama edit. MPs wrote to the BBC on 4 November seeking the report and details of actions taken; Davie and Turness rejected claims of institutional bias.
In written evidence to MPs, Shah accepted that the edit created a mistaken impression of a direct call for violent action and noted more than 500 complaints since the memo’s publication. While apologising to President Trump, the BBC has stated there is no basis for a defamation claim or compensation.
By focusing on governance and a lack of consultation, Banerji’s resignation points to board‑level decision‑making rather than editorial output, increasing pressure on the chair and non‑executive directors ahead of Monday’s committee session.
MPs are set to probe how the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee reviewed the Panorama material, who authorised the final sequence, and what changes have been introduced since. The Committee has said the hearing will test whether processes ensure output complies with the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
Separately, the board must manage leadership transition. The next director‑general will be appointed by the BBC Board through its nominations process under the Charter; decisions taken now will shape the corporation’s position as the current Charter runs to 31 December 2027.