BBC Panorama Accused of Bias Over Selective Donald Trump Speech Edit Row Escalates

Allegations of political bias have erupted at the BBC following revelations that an episode of Panorama selectively edited a speech by Donald Trump. The controversy centres on the documentary’s portrayal of the former US President’s speech on 6 January 2021, when a section urging his supporters to act peacefully was omitted, casting Trump in a more inflammatory light.

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s principal spokeswoman, labelled the editing as “purposefully dishonest” and described the broadcaster as “100 per cent fake news”. She argued that British taxpayers are being compelled to fund what she termed a leftist propaganda machine. Her comments followed a Telegraph investigation exposing that Panorama had spliced together different parts of Trump’s speech, making it appear as though he directly incited the crowd to “fight like hell” at the Capitol.

A whistleblower’s dossier highlighted how this BBC broadcast, released just ahead of last year’s US election, “completely misled” viewers. It did so by excluding Trump’s calls for protestors to make their voices heard “peacefully”.

Scrutiny of the BBC intensified after a leaked 8000-word letter from former standards adviser Michael Prescott claimed there were widespread issues of bias. Prescott’s report detailed concerns over impartiality not only in coverage of Trump but also in reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the corporation’s approach to conversations around gender identity. The letter expressed “despair at inaction by the BBC executive” in addressing these issues and called out “effective censorship” on controversial topics.

Political pressure is mounting on BBC Director-General Tim Davie. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the public to suspend payment of the licence fee unless Davie could offer a satisfactory explanation for the Panorama incident and other recent editorial decisions. Johnson went so far as to demand resignation if Davie cannot restore trust and tackle alleged systemic bias.

Both current and former politicians, including Liz Truss, Sir John Whittingdale, and Baroness Morgan, have called for urgent reform, investigations, and even leadership change, warning that the broadcaster’s credibility is at risk. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage is preparing to raise the allegations directly with Davie in upcoming discussions.

The BBC has stated it does not comment on leaks but indicated all feedback is considered carefully. As questions of trust and impartiality swirl, the ongoing row highlights high-stakes concerns around editorial standards at the UK’s national broadcaster.