The BBC has issued an apology to Donald Trump after segments of his speech from 6 January 2021 were misleadingly edited and broadcast in a Panorama documentary. Critics said the altered footage appeared to show Trump directly urging supporters to riot.
In its apology, the BBC explained the edits unintentionally gave the wrong impression and confirmed the programme would not be shown again in its original form.
Responding to legal action from Trump, the BBC’s lawyers said: “Lawyers for the BBC have written to President Trump’s legal team in response to a letter received on Sunday.
“BBC Chair Samir Shah has separately sent a personal letter to the White House making clear to President Trump that he and the Corporation are sorry for the edit of the President’s speech on 6 January 2021, which featured in the programme”.
Despite the apology, the BBC maintains that the error does not amount to defamation or justify compensation. The incident has led to the departure of top BBC executives, sparking further debate over editorial standards at the broadcaster.
