A number of MPs, well-known faces from the entertainment world, and licence fee payers across the country have been having their say following the news that Tim Davie has resigned from the BBC.
Mr Davie and one other from the BBC’s top leadership have departed their roles following a scandal involving the manipulation of footage in a documentary about Donald Trump.
Both director-general Mr Davie and news chief executive Deborah Turness have stepped down from their positions at the corporation. The resignations come as the broadcaster prepares to issue an apology on Monday, addressing concerns about editorial standards.
Mr Davie had been at the top of the corporation for five years, having assumed the role in 2020 when he succeeded Tony Hall.
Tim Davie has resigned
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PAThe programme that sparked the row, Trump: A Second Chance?, aired in the week preceding last year’s American election. The documentary combined separate portions of Trump’s January 6, 2021, address in a manner that suggested he instructed his followers to accompany him to the US Capitol to “fight like hell”.
The editing technique involved joining disconnected segments of the speech, appearing to create a misleading narrative about Trump’s statements during that pivotal day.
This manipulation of footage has raised serious questions about the BBC’s editorial practices and commitment to accurate representation of events.
Reacting within the first hour of Mr Davie’s resignation was Nigel Farage. The Reform UK leader said: “Davie and Turness going must be the start of wholesale change. The government needs to appoint somebody with a record of coming in and turning companies and their cultures around.
Nigel Farage has issued a statement about Tim Davie’s resignation
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PA“Preferably, it would be someone coming in from the private sector who has run a forward-facing business and understands PR.
“This is the BBC’s last chance. If they don’t get this right, there will be vast numbers of people refusing to pay the licence fee.”
Reform UK’s Head of Policy, Zia Yusuf, also posted: “Good to see accountability. I genuinely hope the BBC learns from this and it marks a turning point for them.”
On the other side of the political spectrum, Labour Culture Secretary praised Mr Davie for his work as director-general, despite the saga that engulfed his departure.
Two of the BBC’s top leadership have resigned
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GETTYShe also said: “As a government, we will support the Board as it manages this transition and ensure that the Charter Review is the catalyst that helps the BBC to adapt to this new era and secures its role at the heart of national life for decades to come.”
Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey spotted the chance to point-score against Mr Farage. “The resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness must be a chance for the BBC to turn a new leaf, rebuild trust, and not give in to those like Nigel Farage who want to destroy it,” he began.
“We must stand up for a strong, independent BBC, to stop Trump’s America becoming Farage’s Britain.”
Across the Atlantic, the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, appeared to rejoice in the news, posting a side-by-side of news articles confirming Mr Davie’s exit with a sarcastic caption.
Away from the world of politics, several of the GB News family have had their say, although the reactions were far from unanimous.
Matt Goodwin said of the resignation: “Huge news —now let’s hope the BBC sees sense and get back to doing impartial news, not biased left-wing dogma.”
Meanwhile, Alex Armstrong, host of Alex Armstrong Tonight, commented: “Trump has taken down the BBC. Total failure and ideological capture by the left throughout the BBC.
“It has led to BBC Verify being unable to accurately verify themselves, Panorama doctoring clips of a President and BBC News reprimanding a reporter over her use of the word ‘woman’.”
And Ben Leo also lauded President Trump’s role in the resignation: “Trump rocks the Beeb. The BBC alone, of course, is to blame for its own woes. But the @WhiteHouse has thumped the final nail in Tim Davie’s coffin.”
However, Good Afternoon Britain star Tom Harwood countered: “Personally, I think it’s insane that we expect the director general of the BBC to be across the particulars of every edit of every single programme.
“The panorama programme was a disgrace. But what does the resignation of the DG do to help the matter? Tim Davie was a good DG. A sensible, level-headed voice who got it on so many issues but had a mountain of a challenge to deal with. There are huge shoes to fill. I find it hard to believe that this particular government will appoint someone better.”
But Martin Daubney had a different point of view from Tom’s: “THE WOKE BBC IS DOOMED. It won’t be enough that Tim Davie resigns as Director General. The entire organisation is infected with a cancer: it is anti-British, anti-working class, anti-white, anti-West, anti-Trump. It’s finally time to #DefundTheBBC.” (sic)
HUGE pic.twitter.com/uzC47cetpo
— Tracy-Ann Oberman MBE (@TracyAnnO) November 9, 2025
Away from the People’s Channel, former star of the BBC’s long-running soap EastEnders, Tracy-Ann Oberman, had her say.
“HUGE,” the actress simply typed alongside a screenshot of an article about the resignation.
As well as the Panorama scandal, Mr Davie’s period at the helm witnessed numerous high-profile sagas that tested the broadcaster’s reputation.
The corporation faced criticism over Gary Lineker’s expression of political opinions, which sparked debate about presenter neutrality.
More damaging was the criminal conviction of prominent presenter Huw Edwards for creating indecent images of minors.
The broadcaster also faced backlash over its decision to air Bob Vylan’s contentious Glastonbury set.