Donald Trump lashes out at 'fake news' BBC over Panorama video scandal
In a leaked memo, former BBC adviser Michael Prescott accused the corporation of altering President Donald Trump’s speech to falsely suggest that he had encouraged the Capitol riots. The memo, sent to the BBC Board after his repeated warnings to the Editorial Standards Committee were ignored, sparked major controversy around the broadcaster’s integrity.
Prescott’s Allegations
Prescott, who served as an independent adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee for three years before stepping down in June, compiled a detailed report on the matter. He described how elements of Trump’s original speech were edited to change its meaning dramatically.
“Doctoring the footage made it appear as though President Trump urged supporters to ‘fight like hell’,” Prescott wrote, “when in fact, he stated he would walk with them ‘to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard’.”
The altered footage aired during a Panorama episode in October 2024, which Prescott claimed “completely misled viewers.”
White House Reaction
The White House responded strongly. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the clip, calling it “100 per cent fake news,” and criticized the BBC for undermining public trust. Growing international pressure has since mounted on BBC executives Tim Davie and Deborah Turness to clarify how the incident occurred.
Author’s Summary
The leaked BBC memo exposed alleged manipulation of Trump’s speech, triggering a fierce backlash from the White House and international scrutiny of the broadcaster’s editorial ethics.