BBC chairman and directors to face grilling from MPs over Panorama edit

The chairman of the BBC will face questions from MPs next week amid the row over Panorama’s editing of a Donald Trump speech.

Members of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee will grill Samir Shah, along with former editorial standards advisor Michael Prescott, whose leaked report sparked the row that has seen Mr Trump threaten to sue the BBC for one billion dollars.

Mr Prescott’s report raised concerns that a Panorama episode broadcast in 2024 included selective editing of a speech made by Mr Trump before the attack on the US Capitol in 2021.

The fallout from the report has seen both BBC director-general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness resign.

Mr Shah has also apologised on behalf of the BBC over an “error of judgment” and accepted that the editing of the speech gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action”.

But the corporation continues to resist Mr Trump’s demands for significant damages.

A spokesman said: “While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim.”

The committee session on November 24 will also hear from former senior Conservative advisor Sir Robbie Gibb, who has faced calls for his removal from the BBC’s board.

Last week, creative industries union Bectu called for Sir Robbie to go, saying his position was “untenable” and said he was perceived by corporation staff as being “sympathetic to, or actively part of, a campaign to undermine the BBC and influence its political impartiality”.

Sir Robbie, who served as director of communications for Theresa May, has so far declined to comment on criticism of his position on the BBC board.

The committee will also hear from former editorial standards advisor Caroline Daniel and BBC non-executive director Caroline Thomson.