After two top BBC executives resigned over an editing controversy, Trump's attorneys threatened the British broadcasting service with a $1 billion claim

Nov. 10, 2025

The leaking of a parting memo issued by a former BBC advisor last June has triggered a scandal in the U.K., leading to the resignation of two top executives of the British service. The controversy stems from a 2024 segment of a Panorama episode about the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection in which videos reportedly recorded separately were edited together to give a false impression of President Donald Trump's instructions to his followers. Trump has threatened legal action.

Further Reading :

• Trump threatens $1bn legal action against BBC over 6 January speech edit [BBC]
  Nov. 10, 2025 — In a letter to the corporation, Trump's legal team demanded the BBC "immediately retract" the Panorama programme by 14 November, calling it "false and defamatory." BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of news Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday night, after a leaked memo criticised a 2024 Panorama programme about the U.S. president.
• Two Top BBC Leaders Quit Over Editing of Trump Documentary [The New York Times]
  Nov. 9, 2025 — The abrupt moves followed furor over claims that a documentary had misleadingly edited footage of President Trump’s speech before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
• Exclusive: BBC doctored Trump speech, internal report reveals [The Telegraph]
  Nov. 3, 2025 — The BBC doctored a Donald Trump speech by making him appear to encourage the Capitol Hill riot, according to an internal whistleblowing memo seen by The Telegraph.

Source Documents :

• June 2025 memorandum from Michael Prescott to the BBC about Donald J. Trump : Michael Prescott
  Michael Prescott wrote the memo out of "despair" at the BBC's alleged inaction in the face of controversies. The memo was sent to the BBC board after his departure from an advisory role. The undated, leaked memo was the subject of a report published by The Daily Telegraph on Nov. 3, 2025, igniting outrage and leading to the resignations of two top BBC executives. President Donald J . Trump has threatened legal action in connection with one controversy noted in the memo.

Key Words :

• BBC
• Deborah Turness
• Donald J Trump
• Timothy D. Davie