Former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has suggested the corporation struggles to retain top talent, saying it is “not good at holding on to good people” as she reflected on the broadcaster’s future and funding challenges.
Speaking in a new interview with Radio Times, the former Newsnight presenter addressed concerns about the BBC following the departures of several high-profile figures, including senior female journalists.
When asked whether the broadcaster has a problem with women, Ms Maitlis rejected the idea that the issue is limited to gender.
“It’s not just about women; I don’t think the BBC is good at holding on to good people,” she said.
She claimed the BBC are “not good at holding on to good people”
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GETTY
“I understand that organisational impulse, that there’s no one more important than anyone else. But don’t be surprised if the people that can move do move.”
Ms Maitlis, who left the BBC in 2022 and now co-hosts The News Agents podcast, also weighed in on the future of the licence fee.
Despite her thinly-veiled dig, Ms Maitlis remains a strong supporter of public service broadcasting amid growing debate over its funding model.
“I’d be more than happy to pay [the licence fee] five times over,” she said, while acknowledging that the cost can be difficult for households facing financial pressures.
She warned the BBC not to be surprised if people start to move on
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BBC
“I understand it’s demanding for people in straitened times.”
The journalist also warned against attempts to reduce spending while maintaining the same level of output, arguing that the approach risks damaging the organisation in the long term.
“Salami-slicing away at budgets but pretending nothing’s changing is a recipe for disaster,” Ms Maitlis said.
Her remarks come as the BBC continues to face scrutiny over its finances, future funding arrangements and ability to compete with commercial broadcasters and streaming platforms for both audiences and talent.
Ms Maitliss conducted the controversial interview with Prince Andrew in 2019
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BBC
Ms Maitlis remains one of the corporation’s most recognisable former faces, having fronted major political coverage and conducted the landmark 2019 Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew that became a defining moment in British broadcast journalism.
With pressure mounting over budgets and the future of the licence fee, Ms Maitlis’s intervention is likely to add fresh fuel to the debate over how the BBC evolves in the years ahead.
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