Focus on Gregg Wallace, Glastonbury and Gaza as BBC releases annual report
The corporation will highlight its successes over the past year and disclose the pay of its top talent, but focus is likely to be on a storm of stories about the BBC's shows and coverage of live events.
It comes after Ofcom announced it would investigate the BBC's Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary after a review found it had breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy.
The regulator said it had examined the BBC report and would be investigating under its broadcasting code, which states factual programmes 'must not materially mislead the audience'.
The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged that the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: 'Having examined the BBC's findings, we are launching an investigation under our rule which states that factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience.'
The review, conducted by Peter Johnston, the director of editorial complaints and reviews, which is independent of BBC News, said the programme was in breach of accuracy for 'failing to disclose information about the child narrator's father's position within the Hamas-run government'.
But the review found no other breaches of editorial guidelines, including breaches of impartiality, and also found no evidence that outside interests 'inappropriately impacted on the programme'.
The BBC will also face scrutiny after a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations of misconduct made against former MasterChef presenter Wallace during his time on the show were substantiated, including one allegation of 'unwelcome physical contact', in a report following an investigation into his behaviour.
On Monday, Wallace's MasterChef co-host John Torode confirmed he had a standalone allegation of racist language upheld in the same report.
He said had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation in an Instagram post.
In November 2024 the show's production company, Banijay UK, announced Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated.
The report concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated'.
Also expected to be on the agenda is coverage of Glastonbury, which saw the broadcaster livestream a set by punk duo Bob Vylan, during which singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is reportedly Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds in chants of 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'.
Director-general Tim Davie confirmed on Monday that staff at the festival had the authority to cut the stream
Avon and Somerset Police have since launched an investigation into the group's set with the BBC issuing an apology for the live stream, and promising to no longer broadcast live acts they deem 'high risk' as they had with Bob Vylan in a pre-festival assessment.
The Ipswich-formed duo, who are completed by drummer Bobbie Vylan, are also being investigated by the Met Police for alleged comments in a video of their performance supporting Iggy Pop at Alexandra Palace in May.
In the video, Vylan appears to say: 'Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel. Death to the IDF.'
According to reports in The Times, the BBC's director of music Lorna Clarke was among a group of senior staff who have stepped back from their day-to-day roles after the broadcaster's decision to show Bob Vylan's set live.
The salary of former Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker is expected to be included in the report, after he left his presenting role early following a social media row after he shared a post about Zionism which featured a depiction of a rat, historically an antisemitic insult.
Lineker, who issued an unreserved apology, was the BBC's highest-paid presenter until his departure, with the annual report for 2023/24 showing his salary to be to around £1.35 million a year.
The presenter will no longer front the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season, with his final appearance on Match Of The Day at the end of the last Premier League season.
It comes as it was announced that Mr Davie and BBC chairman Samir Shah will face questions from MPs over the documentary, Wallace, and its Glastonbury coverage.
The two will appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on September 9.
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Rhyl Journal
4 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Tim Davie condemns ‘serious racist term' used by John Torode
Australian-born Torode, 59, started presenting MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace in 2005. On Monday night, Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Wallace. In an interview with BBC News on Tuesday, Davie said he saw the situation as an opportunity for the corporation to 'reset'. He said he was not directly involved with the matter but was told about the recommendation not to renew Torode's contract and was 'happy that the team were taking action'. He went on: 'It's really important that we are taking this seriously. It's a reset where we make sure that people are living up to the values we expect across the board.' Asked exactly what Torode said, Davie replied: 'I'm not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form.' A statement from production company Banijay UK released earlier said: 'In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. 'The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. 'This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. 'Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.' The Lewis Silkin report, commissioned by Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Torode confirmed on Monday night he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. A BBC spokesperson said: 'John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. 'This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace – was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation. 'He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. 'The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. 'John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.' Davie insisted MasterChef does have a future with the broadcaster beyond 2028, when its current deal runs out, while presenting the corporation's 2024/2025 annual report earlier on Tuesday. Davie said: 'I absolutely think it does (have a future), I think a great programme that's loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. 'It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we've got to make sure we're in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.' Downing Street has said it 'utterly condemns' any instance of racist language after the allegation made against Torode was upheld. 'When it comes to racism (it) clearly has no place at the BBC or anywhere in society, and we utterly condemn any instances of racist language or abuse in the strongest possible terms,' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said. 'And it's obviously up to the BBC, who are operationally independent from Government, to take forward any necessary next steps.' It comes after the BBC addressed the future of a series of MasterChef filmed last year, which has not yet been aired, on Monday, saying they had not made a final decision on broadcasting it. A spokesperson for the corporation said: 'We know this is disappointing for fans of the show and those who took part, and at the appropriate time Banijay UK will consult further with the amateur contestants.' The MasterChef upheaval comes as the BBC faces scrutiny over the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary which, after a review, was found to have breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The corporation has also been criticised over its coverage of Glastonbury, particularly the live stream of punk duo Bob Vylan's set, during which singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is reportedly Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds in chants of 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity. He became a familiar face to TV audiences in 1996 as the resident chef on ITV's This Morning, before joining MasterChef alongside Wallace when it was known as MasterChef Goes Large.
Glasgow Times
5 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Tim Davie condemns ‘serious racist term' used by John Torode
Australian-born Torode, 59, started presenting MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace in 2005. On Monday night, Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Wallace. In an interview with BBC News on Tuesday, Davie said he saw the situation as an opportunity for the corporation to 'reset'. He said he was not directly involved with the matter but was told about the recommendation not to renew Torode's contract and was 'happy that the team were taking action'. He went on: 'It's really important that we are taking this seriously. It's a reset where we make sure that people are living up to the values we expect across the board.' Asked exactly what Torode said, Davie replied: 'I'm not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form.' BBC director-general Tim Davie (Andrew Milligan/PA) A statement from production company Banijay UK released earlier said: 'In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. 'The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. 'This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. 'Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.' The Lewis Silkin report, commissioned by Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Torode confirmed on Monday night he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. A BBC spokesperson said: 'John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. 'This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace – was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation. 'He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. 'The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. 'John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.' Davie insisted MasterChef does have a future with the broadcaster beyond 2028, when its current deal runs out, while presenting the corporation's 2024/2025 annual report earlier on Tuesday. Davie said: 'I absolutely think it does (have a future), I think a great programme that's loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. 'It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we've got to make sure we're in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.' John Torode after being made an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace (Kirsty O'Connor/PA) Downing Street has said it 'utterly condemns' any instance of racist language after the allegation made against Torode was upheld. 'When it comes to racism (it) clearly has no place at the BBC or anywhere in society, and we utterly condemn any instances of racist language or abuse in the strongest possible terms,' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said. 'And it's obviously up to the BBC, who are operationally independent from Government, to take forward any necessary next steps.' It comes after the BBC addressed the future of a series of MasterChef filmed last year, which has not yet been aired, on Monday, saying they had not made a final decision on broadcasting it. A spokesperson for the corporation said: 'We know this is disappointing for fans of the show and those who took part, and at the appropriate time Banijay UK will consult further with the amateur contestants.' The MasterChef upheaval comes as the BBC faces scrutiny over the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary which, after a review, was found to have breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The corporation has also been criticised over its coverage of Glastonbury, particularly the live stream of punk duo Bob Vylan's set, during which singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is reportedly Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds in chants of 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity. He became a familiar face to TV audiences in 1996 as the resident chef on ITV's This Morning, before joining MasterChef alongside Wallace when it was known as MasterChef Goes Large.
North Wales Chronicle
5 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Tim Davie condemns ‘serious racist term' used by John Torode
Australian-born Torode, 59, started presenting MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace in 2005. On Monday night, Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Wallace. In an interview with BBC News on Tuesday, Davie said he saw the situation as an opportunity for the corporation to 'reset'. He said he was not directly involved with the matter but was told about the recommendation not to renew Torode's contract and was 'happy that the team were taking action'. He went on: 'It's really important that we are taking this seriously. It's a reset where we make sure that people are living up to the values we expect across the board.' Asked exactly what Torode said, Davie replied: 'I'm not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form.' A statement from production company Banijay UK released earlier said: 'In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. 'The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. 'This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. 'Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.' The Lewis Silkin report, commissioned by Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Torode confirmed on Monday night he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. A BBC spokesperson said: 'John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. 'This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace – was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation. 'He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. 'The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. 'John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.' Davie insisted MasterChef does have a future with the broadcaster beyond 2028, when its current deal runs out, while presenting the corporation's 2024/2025 annual report earlier on Tuesday. Davie said: 'I absolutely think it does (have a future), I think a great programme that's loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. 'It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we've got to make sure we're in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.' Downing Street has said it 'utterly condemns' any instance of racist language after the allegation made against Torode was upheld. 'When it comes to racism (it) clearly has no place at the BBC or anywhere in society, and we utterly condemn any instances of racist language or abuse in the strongest possible terms,' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said. 'And it's obviously up to the BBC, who are operationally independent from Government, to take forward any necessary next steps.' It comes after the BBC addressed the future of a series of MasterChef filmed last year, which has not yet been aired, on Monday, saying they had not made a final decision on broadcasting it. A spokesperson for the corporation said: 'We know this is disappointing for fans of the show and those who took part, and at the appropriate time Banijay UK will consult further with the amateur contestants.' The MasterChef upheaval comes as the BBC faces scrutiny over the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary which, after a review, was found to have breached the corporation's editorial guidelines on accuracy. The corporation has also been criticised over its coverage of Glastonbury, particularly the live stream of punk duo Bob Vylan's set, during which singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is reportedly Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds in chants of 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity. He became a familiar face to TV audiences in 1996 as the resident chef on ITV's This Morning, before joining MasterChef alongside Wallace when it was known as MasterChef Goes Large.
