More than 200 Jewish staff members at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have publicly accused the broadcaster's Board of ignoring their urgent calls for a formal investigation into alleged systemic anti-Semitism within the organisation.
A Plea for Action Ignored
The crisis began in July 2024, when a group of over 200 Jewish employees, including contractors, suppliers, and contributors, sent a formal letter to BBC chairman Samir Shah. They demanded an urgent, formal probe by the BBC Board into what they described as 'systemic problems of anti-Semitism and bias at the BBC'.
Attached to their letter was a detailed report titled 'Being Jewish and working at the BBC'. This document contained powerful testimonies from staff who claimed the corporation was no longer 'a safe space to be Jewish'.
Frustration Mounts as Board Remains Silent
After receiving no satisfactory response for over a year, the same group of staff wrote a second letter to the BBC Board. They expressed deep frustration, accusing the Board of offering 'words not action' and completely ignoring their initial pleas.
The signatories include prominent figures such as:
- Producer Leo Pearlman
- Former ITV head of entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz
- Former BBC executive Danny Cohen
- Numerous current BBC employees
In their statement, they said, 'Despite being presented with documentary evidence of an anti-Jewish bias within the BBC... this basic request went unheeded.' They are now demanding to know, 'who will be held accountable?'
A Call for Real Accountability
A representative for the staff told the Mail Online that the Jewish community at the BBC continues to be 'ignored, gaslit and at worst smeared as a 'lobby''. They emphatically stated, 'This would never happen to any other minority. It is racism.'
They further accused the BBC's senior management, specifically under Deborah Turness, the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, of a 'demonstrable failure' to address the issue. The group is now calling for 'real action and accountability, not more hollow words'.
This internal revolt is supported by an independent internal report from former editorial adviser Michael Prescott, which also found evidence of a systemic anti-Israel bias in the BBC's coverage of the Gaza conflict.
Tory leader Mrs Badenoch condemned the BBC's inaction, calling it 'indefensible' and a 'shameful failure of leadership'. She urged the BBC Board to intervene immediately to restore public trust and ensure accountability begins within BBC News itself.
