Davie had 'blind spot', MPs told by former BBC adviser

The former BBC director general Tim Davie had a “blind spot” when it came to editorial failings at the broadcaster, the author of a leaked memo on impartiality at the corporation has said.

- MILLIE COOKE

Appearing in front of the Commons culture, media and sport committee yesterday, Michael Prescott, a former independent adviser to the BBC's editorial guidelines and standards board, said Mr Davie was a “supreme talent” but failed to get on top of “incipient problems” at the corporation before he resigned in the wake of the memo becoming public.

But Mr Prescott insisted the broadcaster is not institutionally biased. He had penned a report raising concerns that a Panorama episode included selective editing of a speech made by President Donald Trump before the attack on the US Capitol in 2021.

Mr Davie stepped down as BBC director general and news chief Deborah Turness resigned in the fallout on 9 November, while chair Samir Shah apologised on behalf of the BBC over an “error of judgement” and accepted that the editing of the 2024 documentary gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action”.

Mr Prescott told MPs that Mr Davie “seemed to me to be doing a first-rate job across 80 or 90 per cent of the portfolio”, but added: “It was just that he had this blind spot on editorial failings. I think it's a bit of a tragedy he's gone. I thought he was a supreme talent, but he had this blind spot.”

He added he believed the reputation of US president Donald Trump has “probably not” been tarnished by the Panorama edit.