The Memo That Shook the BBC to Its Core
A leaked internal document from former BBC adviser Michael Prescott has triggered one of the most significant crises in the corporation's recent history, resulting in the resignation of two top executives and drawing fierce criticism from US President Donald Trump.
The controversy erupted when Prescott's memo, written in what he described as "despair at inaction by the BBC Executive," was leaked to The Telegraph newspaper. The document raised serious concerns about BBC impartiality across several sensitive areas, including coverage of trans issues and the war in Gaza.
Who is Michael Prescott?
Michael Prescott is no ordinary whistleblower. The Oxford-educated former journalist served as an independent adviser to the BBC's Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board for three years before departing in June 2025. His career spans 17 years in journalism, including a decade at the Sunday Times where he rose from chief political correspondent to political editor.
Beyond traditional journalism, Prescott has cultivated an impressive portfolio in corporate communications and advisory roles. He served as corporate affairs director for BT, where he played a key role in launching BT Sport and facilitated the telecom giant's merger with EE. Prior to that, he was managing director of corporate communications and public affairs at global PR firm Weber Shandwick, advising major organisations including:
- Virgin Media
- Balfour Beatty
- British Nuclear Fuels
- MasterCard
- IKEA
- NATS (air traffic control)
- Numerous universities
Prescott currently holds positions at Hanover Communications, an international communications and PR agency, and serves on the government's Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, offering independent advice to the Prime Minister.
The Fallout: Resignations and Reactions
The leaked memo proved catastrophic for BBC leadership, resulting in the resignation of both Tim Davie as director-general and Deborah Turness as chief executive of BBC news and current affairs.
Davie, who had earned the nickname "Teflon Tim" for surviving numerous previous controversies, finally met his match. His tenure had weathered several storms including:
- Gary Lineker's 2023 brief suspension
- Gregg Wallace's sacking
- Bob Vylan's 2025 Glastonbury set controversy
However, the decisive blow came from concerns about the editing of Donald Trump's January 6, 2021 speech in the Panorama documentary "Trump: A Second Chance?" which aired before last year's US elections.
Deborah Turness, a linguist who studied in Surrey and France, brought extensive experience as former CEO of ITN and president of NBC News International to her role at BBC News. Her resignation marks another high-profile departure from the corporation.
International Repercussions
The crisis attracted immediate attention from across the Atlantic, with US President Donald Trump weighing in forcefully on his Truth Social platform. Trump branded the BBC "corrupt" and "dishonest," claiming the corporation had "doctored" his January 6 speech.
In his statement, Trump wrote: "The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught 'doctoring' my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th. Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt 'Journalists.'"
The former president accused the BBC of attempting to "step on the scales of a Presidential Election" and described the actions as "a terrible thing for Democracy."
The crisis continues to unfold as the BBC faces one of its most challenging periods, with questions mounting about editorial standards, impartiality, and leadership at the world's oldest and largest national broadcaster.
