Latest news with #SamirShah
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Chairman fears more BBC scandals on the horizon as he admits there are 'powerful individuals' still making life 'unbearable' for colleagues
The chairman of the BBC has admitted there are powerful individuals still making life 'unbearable' for colleagues after a slew of people were sacked from the corporation. Samir Shah spoke out as MasterChef was plunged into crisis last night when it emerged presenter John Torode had an allegation of misconduct upheld. And this evening it was announced he had been sacked from the show after a report into his co-host Gregg Wallace - who had 45 out of 83 complaints made upheld - found Mr Torode had used an 'extremely offensive racist term'. It came following the release of the corporation's annual report which revealed former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker - who left his job in May after being accused of posting an 'antisemitic trope' on social media - topped the list for the eighth year running. Speaking as the report was released, Mr Shah admitted there had been a 'string of revelations' about abuses of power at the BBC over the past year. He said: 'Our staff are dedicated, hardworking and treat each other with respect. 'However, there are pockets in the organisation where this is not the case. There are still places where powerful individuals - on and off-screen - can abuse that power to make life for their colleagues unbearable.' He added there had been dismissals following a review, which came out in April, but stopped short of identifying those who were sacked. BBC director general Tim Davie insisted MasterChef 'absolutely' has a future but refused to back Mr Torode and made clear he 'expects action to be taken'. That action came to light this evening Banijay UK - the production company that makes MasterChef - said it had decided not to renew his contract. In a statement this afternoon, the BBC said that it does not 'tolerate racist language of any kind' and that it takes the finding 'extremely seriously'. Mr Davie said: 'The BBC, in some ways, we're quite simple on this, which is if someone is found to not live up to the values, we expect the independent company, Banijay in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done. 'These aren't BBC employees, but we absolutely expect action to be taken.' Last night Mr Torode said he was 'shocked' by the allegation and denied all wrongdoing. The allegation is understood to have been upheld in a report as part of a review into the behaviour of Mr Torode's former co-presenter Gregg Wallace. It comes after Wallace hit out at the BBC as the probe upheld more than half of the complaints of inappropriate behaviour against him, with the presenter warning he 'won't be the last' to be cancelled. Wallace hit out at the BBC as the probe upheld more than half of the complaints of inappropriate behaviour against him, with the presenter warning he 'won't be the last' to be cancelled The report into Wallace's behaviour on the cooking show upheld 45 out of 83 complaints made, including one count of 'unwanted physical contact', leaving the BBC to admit it 'could and should have' acted sooner on the MasterChef host. A series of controversies have rocked the BBC in recent months in the aftermath of the Huw Edwards scandal. Mr Davie said he was working to 'transform our culture' with the release of the BBC's annual report. He said: 'This year brought major challenges in the form of the appalling Huw Edwards revelations along with further examples of truly unacceptable behaviours coming to light. 'An independent review into the BBC's workplace culture produced a series of recommendations which we accepted in full. 'We have since rolled out a comprehensive set of actions which directly respond to the challenge of these findings and kicked off a two-year programme of work to deliver real change in our workplace culture. Mr Davie confirmed there have been dismissals for bad behaviour since the action plan was launched in April. However, these do not include TV chef Gregg Wallace, who has been banned from working at the BBC for inappropriate behaviour and comments, as he was not staff. Mr Davie added he has a 'vision' of a BBC culture that is 'kind, inclusive, safe and everyone feels inspired and enabled to do their best work'. Asked why he hasn't resigned over recent scandals, he admitted mistakes had been made but said: 'It's certainly been a tough period, and there are some tough days, and this job is not one you take if you want a quiet life or a stress-free existence. 'I simply think I'm in a place where I can work to improve dramatically the BBC and lead it in the right way, and I say that on a number of fronts. 'I think there are moments when you have to do tough things, deal with mistakes, and get through it because you want to maintain your standards.' BBC chairman Samir Shah backed the director-general, saying he had shown 'strong, confident and decisive leadership in a very, very challenging environment'.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
BBC to look at overhauling licence fee as 300,000 more households stop paying
A further 300,000 households have stopped paying the licence fee, as the BBC said it was looking at overhauling the payment to secure the corporation's future 'for the long term'. As the broadcaster continues to battle the rise of YouTube and streaming services that have split audiences across numerous platforms, its annual report revealed 23.8m licences were in force at the end of the year, down from 24.1m in 2023-24. The drop means a loss of about £50m in revenue for the corporation. It comes with the government and BBC bosses starting discussion of the future of the BBC and its funding as part of the process to renew its charter. Both sides have suggested changes to the licence fee. However, BBC senior executives have set red lines around any move to a subscription or ad-based service as used by their streaming competitors. The pace of change within the media world is so great that Samir Shah, the BBC chair, said in the report it was a 'moment of real jeopardy for the sector'. 'The fight is on, and it is vital we now think very carefully about the kind of media environment we want for the UK,' he said, adding he was searching for 'the best future funding model for the BBC'. 'I have already set out some views on this and the board will be saying more over the coming months,' he said. 'But all of us are clear that we want to make sure we protect the BBC as a universal service and help it not just to survive, but thrive, for a generation and more.' Licence fee income increased slightly year on year, totalling £3.8bn in 2024-25. However, the small rise was down to the 6.7% inflationary increase in the fee to £169.50 a year. 'The current collection method remains fair, effective, and good value for money,' the report said. 'As we approach the end of the charter, we will proactively research how we might reform the licence fee to secure the benefits of a well-resourced, universal BBC of scale for the long term.' The BBC annual report also showed that, for the last time, the former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker remained the highest-paid BBC star last year before he left the corporation in May. His earnings were about £1.3m. The next highest paid was Zoe Ball, with earnings of just over £500,000 last year. After scandals including the departure of the disgraced presenter Huw Edwards, Shah said much work had been done to improve the culture in the BBC. 'Our staff are dedicated, hard-working and treat each other with respect,' he said. 'However, there are pockets in the organisation where this is not the case. There are still places where powerful individuals – on and off-screen – can abuse that power to make life for their colleagues unbearable.' Following the Guardian's disclosure that the BBC is considering a major outsourcing project involving the help of big tech, Tim Davie, the corporation's director general, said his plans would 'require the BBC to continue to deliver reform, and to accelerate the rapid organisational transformation that has been under way in recent years'. 'We have already used gen AI to increase the value we offer audiences with initiatives such as adding subtitles to programmes on BBC Sounds, translating content into different languages on BBC News, and creating live text pages for football matches,' he said. He added that the BBC had maintained 'its near-universal reach in the face of fast-changing audience behaviours and the pressures of a highly competitive global media market'. The BBC has been trying to boost its finances and its commercial arm recorded a record revenue of £2.16bn, driven by growth in the BritBox product that lets overseas customers watch BBC content. The licensing of the Bluey brand was also a money spinner. Despite younger audiences moving away from traditional TV, the BBC argued it was performing strongly among them compared with other traditional channels. Among under-16s, it is only behind YouTube in terms of most-used UK media. It is level pegging with Netflix and ahead of Disney. Among 16- to 34-year-olds it is only behind YouTube and just ahead of Facebook and Instagram.
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC sacks staff after culture review as MasterChef rocked by misconduct claims
The BBC has confirmed staff dismissals following a culture review, with chairman Samir Shah admitting some individuals still abuse their power after Gregg Wallace's axe from MasterChef The BBC has confirmed that multiple employees have been dismissed following a damning internal culture review, though the identities of those removed remain undisclosed. BBC chairman Samir Shah addressed the issue as the broadcaster released its annual report on Tuesday, acknowledging ongoing problems within the organisation. 'There are still places where powerful individuals, on and off-screen, can abuse that power to make life for their colleagues unbearable,' Shah said. 'Our staff are dedicated, hardworking and treat each other with respect. However, there are pockets in the organisation where this is not the case.' His comments followed a turbulent week for the BBC. On Monday, an independent investigation upheld 45 allegations against MasterChef co-host Gregg Wallace for inappropriate behaviour, while co-presenter John Torode faced a separate claim involving the use of racist language. BBC Director General Tim Davie stood by the show, insisting it still had a future. 'MasterChef is absolutely bigger than individuals,' he said, while declining to confirm whether the upcoming series which was filmed before the scandal, would still air. Wallace has since been removed, but Davie deferred on Torode's fate, noting that the matter was being handled by production company Banijay. 'These aren't BBC employees, but we expect action,' he stated. 'Banijay must lead and report back to us.' Wallace has since apologised for his conduct. Torode responded by saying: 'I have no recollection of the alleged incident and do not believe that it happened.' Meanwhile, the annual report also revealed that Gary Lineker was once again the BBC's highest-paid presenter, earning between £1.35m–£1.354m in the last financial year - his eighth consecutive year at the top. His inclusion comes despite his May departure from Match of the Day, following backlash over a social media post deemed antisemitic. He had been expected to remain on air for other coverage but ultimately cut ties with the broadcaster entirely. Zoe Ball ranked second, earning between £515,000–£519,999 after stepping down from the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, nearly halving her previous earnings. She now fronts a Saturday afternoon slot on the same station. Director General Tim Davie received a £20,000 pay increase, bringing his salary to £547,000, which is a 3.8% rise. Notably, the annual report only discloses pay funded by the licence fee, excluding talent paid through BBC Studios or independent production companies, meaning the full earnings of many presenters remain undisclosed.
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
MasterChef is bigger than presenters and still has a future, says BBC boss
Mr Davie also faced questions about his own future after presiding over what Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, described as a series of 'catastrophic' failures. The corporation has also been criticised in recent months for its broadcast of a Gaza documentary narrated by the son of a Hamas minister and for its decision to keep showing a livestream of Bob Vylan's set from Glastonbury music festival after a member of the group chanted ' Death to the IDF '. Asked if he had considered resigning, Mr Davie insisted he was the right person to lead the corporation, while admitting that he had dealt with 'some tough things' in recent weeks. He also said the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict was the most challenging editorial issue of his career. 'I simply think I am in a place where I can work to improve dramatically the BBC and lead it in the right way,' Mr Davie added. Samir Shah, the BBC chairman, said the director-general had his full support. He added that several people this year had been dismissed from the broadcaster after staff were encouraged to come forward and report any unacceptable workplace behaviour. 'Difficult decision' over latest series Torode was not named in the MasterChef report, which was conducted by law firm Lewis Silkin, but came forward on Monday night. In a statement on Instagram, Torode said: 'For the sake of transparency, I confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion. The allegation is that I did so some time in 2018 or 2019 in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards. 'I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened. However, I want to be clear that I've always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.' The Telegraph understands that Torode was the subject of multiple allegations, although only one was substantiated. He had been expected to begin filming a new series of MasterChef soon with Grace Dent, the food critic and broadcaster, as Wallace's replacement.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC sacks several people over 'abusive behaviour'
The BBC has confirmed that several members of staff have been sacked following a recent review into the corporation's culture. But Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, acknowledged that some powerful individuals still make life "unbearable" for their colleagues. His comments came as MasterChef was plunged into crisis, with a report on Monday upholding 45 allegations about Gregg Wallace's behaviour on the BBC show, and another against co-host John Torode of using racist language. On Tuesday, the corporation released its annual report, which revealed that former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker was the BBC's top paid presenter for the eighth year running. Lineker earned between £1,350,000 - £1,354,99 in the last financial year, followed by former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball on £515,000 - £519,999. The full list of star salaries Some BBC stars behave unacceptably, report says Speaking as the report was released, Shah acknowledged that over the past year, there had been a "string of revelations" about abuses of power at the BBC. "Our staff are dedicated, hardworking and treat each other with respect," he said. "However, there are pockets in the organisation where this is not the case. There are still places where powerful individuals - on and off-screen - can abuse that power to make life for their colleagues unbearable." He said people had been dismissed following the review, which came out in April, but did not give any more information about who they were. Addressing the MasterChef controversy, BBC director general Tim Davie insisted the cooking show "absolutely" has a future, adding that it was "much bigger than individuals". But he refused to say what would happen to the unseen series - which was filmed last year with both Wallace and Torode in it. Wallace has been sacked from the show. Davie also did not comment on whether Torode would now also be sacked, saying that the production company Banijay was leading the process. "The BBC, in some ways, we're quite simple on this, which is if someone is found to not live up to the values, we expect the independent company, Banijay in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done. "These aren't BBC employees, but we absolutely expect action to be taken." Wallace apologised after the inquiry reported back on Monday, while Torode said he had "no recollection" of the alleged incident, adding: "I do not believe that it happened." As usual, the BBC's annual report does not paint the full picture of what star presenters at the BBC earn. A huge number are not listed because the corporation does not have to make public the salaries of stars who are paid through its commercial arm BBC Studios or via independent production companies. Strictly speaking, the figures disclosed as part of the annual report are not "salaries" – but rather, relate to pay that individuals receive within the financial year. Lineker signed off from his final edition of Match of the Day in May after 26 years in the hot seat. He had been due to remain with the BBC to front coverage of the men's FA Cup and the World Cup, but in the end, left the corporation completely after apologising for reposting a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration considered antisemitic. His salary remained the same as last year's, while Zoe Ball's has dropped from the previous year's £950,000-£954,999, reflecting her departure from the Radio 2 breakfast show to take up a new role fronting Saturday afternoons on the station. Lineker's salary is still included in the BBC's latest annual report as he's only just left, but next year he will no longer be listed. Zoe Ball hosted her final Radio 2 breakfast show in December after six years in the slot, and took up her new Saturday afternoon role in May. Elsewhere, director general Tim Davie's salary has gone up by £20k from last year (£527k) to £547k, representing a 3.8% pay rise. The BBC's licence fee is set by the culture secretary. This year income generated by the licence fee increased from £3.7 to £3.8bn after inflation. The report stated there was a drop in the number of households paying the licence fee, from 23,131,000 in 2024 to 22,772,000 in 2025 - a drop of 359,000. This represents a decline of 1.56%, compared with last year's drop of 1.26%. That number is holding up fairly well, declining less quickly than might be expected given the competition from streaming services. The report also revealed 50% of UK adults think the BBC is effective at providing impartial news and current affairs, an uptick of 5% on last year's 45% of those surveyed. A further 63% of UK adults think the BBC is effective at providing accurate news and current affairs, compared to last year's 59%. The number of adults using BBC services weekly last year declined slightly from 75% to 74%, though 70% of under 16s use BBC services including TV, iPlayer, radio and online content on a weekly basis. Of those platforms, iPlayer is the fastest growing platform for long-form content. The report also showed that 10 out of 10 of Christmas Day top shows were from the BBC - but that includes King's speech which is also broadcast on other channels. John Torode says allegation he used racist language upheld in MasterChef report Wallace 'sorry' after 45 claims against him upheld The stars you won't see on the BBC salaries list How much is the BBC licence fee and who needs one? The BBC annual group report and accounts in full The BBC's annual report comes in the wake of a series of controversies faced by the corporation. As well as MasterChef, they include Glastonbury and the decision to broadcast Bob Vylan's set. Earlier this year, a documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, was pulled from iPlayer after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. On Monday, a report concluded the documentary breached editorial guidelines on accuracy. It stated the BBC bears "some responsibility" for "not being sufficiently proactive" in the early stages of the project, and for a "lack of critical oversight of unanswered or partially answered questions" - although the report said the independent film company behind it, Hoyo Films, bore the most responsibility for this failure. Gregg Wallace sacked as 50 more people make claims
