BBC still has a problem with ‘untouchable' stars, report says

Yahoo

28-04-2025

The BBC continues to reward 'untouchable' stars by letting their bad behaviour go unpunished, according to a new report.
An independent review commissioned in the wake of the Huw Edwards scandal found some presenters are so problematic that they are 'man-marked' by BBC managers who act as a buffer between them and more junior staff.
'We heard examples of well-known names not being held to account for poor behaviour,' the report said.
'A small number of people can become 'untouchable' in the eyes of colleagues. They are known for getting away with poor behaviour, and their reputation spreads beyond their immediate team.
'We heard about a minority of people who behave unacceptably and whose behaviour is not addressed and impacts employees and freelancers. These people work in both on and off-air roles, dotted across the organisation in different functions and departments.
'They are often in positions where power could be abused. Even though they are small in number, their behaviour creates large ripples which negatively impact the BBC's culture and external reputation.
'[The BBC] states it has zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour, but the words do not align with the actual experience of some people working with or for the corporation.'
The corporation does not have a toxic culture overall, the workplace review found. However, Samir Shah, the BBC's chairman, admitted: 'There are still places where powerful individuals – on and off screen – can abuse that power to make life for their colleagues unbearable.'
Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, promised immediate action to improve the culture and warned that 'a line in the sand' had been drawn.
But the report, conducted Change Associates, a management consultancy, said staff felt 'a degree of cynicism towards the ability of leaders and managers to enact the change needed'.
The review surveyed 2,500 BBC employees and freelancers about their experiences.
It names no names but was commissioned in the wake of the scandal over Edwards, who was the BBC's highest-paid news presenter until his conviction for making indecent images of children.
Since then, Gregg Wallace has stepped away from hosting the BBC's MasterChef series after historical complaints about his workplace behaviour came to light.
Jermaine Jenas was sacked from The One Show last November after he admitted sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues.
In January, the BBC apologised to staff who felt they could not raise concerns about Russell Brand during his time as a presenter for Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music. Allegations included Brand exposing himself in the studio, throwing objects in anger and having sex with a competition winner in a disabled toilet.
The workplace review said that most presenters were seen as good to work with, and many of those who spoke to the authors were 'embarrassed and ashamed to be associated with people who feature in the press for their behavioural misdemeanours'.
But it also found 'untouchables' behind the camera or microphone. 'The perception was that senior management would turn a blind eye to poor behaviours when productions were award-winning or attracting large audiences.'
Responding to the workplace review findings, Mr Shah said: 'In the end, it's quite simple: if you are a person who is prepared to abuse power or punch down or behave badly, there is no place for you at the BBC.'
The review acknowledged a generational divide over what is considered acceptable workplace behaviour, with the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements raising awareness of how attitudes and language that used to be tolerated are no longer so.
'Generation Z has entered the workplace with different norms and expectations,' it said.
'There is a cohort of people in the BBC who have grown up together in the last 20-30 years and reached senior positions. They share stories of what used to be accepted – throwing furniture, drinking on the premises – and rightly comment how far things have come.
'But if society is changing its norms, do they understand what is and is not acceptable today? They, plus many employees and freelancers, want some clearer rules.'
One anonymous participant said: 'I'd love to see some clear 'dos and don'ts' in terms of what is banter – and what is downright cruel or offensive.'
Another said: 'We are in a workplace where the workforce can span across 50 years or more, and the tolerance of acceptability is so different across the generations.'
In a speech to staff at London Broadcasting House, Mr Shah warned: 'If you think you're too big a star or too important to live by the values of this organisation, then not only are you wrong, but we will find you out.'
But he also issued a warning to staff who criticise BBC management publicly, which he called 'reverse bullying – where staff believe it is OK to use social media platforms to humiliate or mock managers for making tough decisions. There is no place for you, either, in the BBC.'
The report advised: 'It should be unacceptable for individuals to publicly criticise the organisation based on personal opinions or the views of small groups (eg if a programme is discontinued), or to leak stories about the BBC to the wider media.'
Presenters who have publicly called out the BBC's decision to cancel a programme include Victoria Derbyshire, who was furious when her award-winning current affairs show was cancelled in 2020. Staff were also critical of the BBC's cuts to local radio.
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