A former BBC presenter has branded the Donald Trump speech which was “doctored” by the broadcaster as “unforgivable”.
Donald Trump has threatened a $1billion law suit against the BBC amid claims the broadcaster edited his speech.
The BBC confirmed that it has received a letter from the US President and will “respond directly in due course”.
Alex Dyke told GB News stars Tom Harwood and Nana Akua: “As someone who spent 12 years at the BBC, like a lot of the people you’ll be talking to today who are ex-BBC, this is not a proud moment for us.
“We’re not happy about this. We don’t enjoy coming on and slagging the BBC off for the sake of it, because many of us have the BBC in our hearts because we grew up with it.
“But I just think this Trump edit is absolutely unforgivable.”
He blashed the lack of any edit to “decipher two different pieces of film”, nor any voiceover to differentiate.
“This was to pull the wool over our eyes. And Tim Davie, I’m afraid, had to go,” the 63-year-old declared.
Alex Dyke worked at the broadcasting giant for 12 years
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Looking forward, Mr Dyke said: “They really, really have to pull their socks up now because the BBC Charter’s coming up soon, and they have been surrounded by negative press and scandal for so long now.
“We need a new broom that will sweep clean.”
A double resignation by director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness stood down on Sunday, spurring on suggestions of fractures at the most senior level of the broadcaster.
In a documented penned by Michael Prescott, it was found that BBC Panorama “misled” its audience after it spliced together footage of Mr Trump to make it look as if he was goading on his followers to “fight like hell” on January 6.
Mr Davie’s natural successor would have been Ms Turness. However, both roles will need to be appointed from a fresh range of candidates.
Chairman of the broadcaster, Samir Shah, said earlier today it had received communication from President Trump over the editing of the documentary, but did not confirm he had threatened to sue.
He said: “We are now considering how to reply to him.”
A 19-page leaked report penned by Michael Prescott, former external advisor to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), claimed the corporation had spliced clips together from sections of the US president’s speech on January 6, 2021.
Mr Davie’s natural successor would have been Ms Turness
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GETTY
As a result, the footage appeared to make it look as if he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to “fight like hell”.
Broadcaster chair Mr Shah said the BBC would like to apologise for an “error of judgement” over the editing of President Trump’s speech.
Earlier today, Nigel Farage spoke out amid the BBC bias allegations engulfing the broadcaster, declaring that he has spoken about the matter with the US President.
The friend of Mr Trump said: “Now, of course, I spoke to the President on Friday. He just said to me, ‘is this how you treat your best ally?’
“It’s quite a powerful comment, isn’t it? It’s quite a powerful comment.”
He added: “If the BBC doesn’t now get a grip, get somebody in from the outside, somebody who has got a history and a culture of changing organisations, of turning them around.
“Then I think what you would see within the next couple of years are many, many millions just refusing, just not wanting to have the licence fee.”