A prominent member of the BBC's board has stepped down from his role, delivering a sharp critique of the governance issues at the very top of the corporation.
A Surprise Departure
On Friday, 21st November 2025, the BBC confirmed that board member Shumeet Banerji had formally notified them of his resignation. While his term as a non-executive director was scheduled to conclude at the end of December, his decision to leave early was directly linked to internal problems.
A BBC spokesperson acknowledged his departure, stating, "Mr Banerji's term on the Board as a non-executive director was due to end at the end of December and we thank him for his service." They added that the process of finding his replacement was already well advanced.
The Root of the Resignation
According to reports from BBC News, Banerji cited specific governance concerns as his reason for leaving. In a resignation letter, he revealed that he was "not consulted" about the critical events that led to the high-profile departures of Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness earlier this month.
This places his resignation directly in the context of the recent turmoil at the broadcaster, which was triggered by a dispute over the editing of a Panorama documentary concerning Donald Trump.
Implications for the BBC
This latest resignation intensifies the scrutiny on the BBC's leadership and internal decision-making processes. The fact that a board member felt compelled to leave ahead of schedule, explicitly pointing to a failure of governance, suggests deeper institutional challenges.
The corporation now faces the dual task of managing this public relations crisis while also stabilising its senior leadership team. With the search for a new board member underway, all eyes will be on how the BBC addresses these internal criticisms and works to restore confidence in its governance structure.
