BBC director-general facing further pressure over job amid 'resignation' calls following Glastonbury controversy

The urgency was sparked by Nandy’s comments in the Commons on Monday, where she accused Davie of mishandling recent scandals, stating there was “a problem of leadership” at the broadcaster.

Adding to the turmoil, Davie is preparing for the release of a delayed internal report into the BBC’s decision to air a documentary on Gaza narrated by the son of a Hamas official.

The review, conducted by Peter Johnston, director of editorial complaints and reviews, is expected to be highly critical of systemic failures within BBC News.

Compounding the crisis, Campaign Against Antisemitism has called for Davie’s resignation following the BBC’s broadcast of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set, during which the punk duo chanted “death to the IDF.”

The group condemned the BBC for airing what it described as “genocidal chanting” and criticised the broadcaster for forcing British Jews to pay the licence fee to fund such content, which it claimed “puts them in danger.”

Davie, who attended Glastonbury on Saturday, was consulted in real time about the performance.

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He instructed that the set not be made available on demand but stopped short of removing the live stream, allowing the footage to remain on air for another five hours.

The incident is now under criminal investigation by Avon and Somerset Police.

An insider at the BBC has claimed the situation was serious but not yet fatal for Davie’s position: “We are in amber territory, not red. It’s uncomfortable right now, not terminal.”

Another source familiar with the board meeting said: “It is a regular occurrence for members of the board to catch up on topical issues. There was strong support expressed for the director-general.”

Nandy personally phoned Davie shortly after the broadcast to demand answers, though the BBC did not release a public statement until Monday.

In her comments to Parliament, she questioned the corporation’s editorial oversight, stating the decision not to pull the broadcast “raises very serious questions at the highest levels of the BBC.”

Nandy also criticised the delay in releasing the internal Gaza documentary report.

“I am still expecting a response from the BBC about [the] decision to broadcast a documentary about Gaza, which it was then discovered fell short of the BBC’s own editorial standards. I expect a response swiftly, and I expect action as well,” she said.

The documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, aired in February and came under fire when it was revealed that the child narrator was the son of a Hamas minister and that his family had been paid for his involvement.

An internal review launched shortly after the broadcast identified “serious flaws” by both the independent production company and the BBC.

A source familiar with the forthcoming report warned: “This report is a real problem for Tim. It was supposed to be quick, and now we are into July. They certainly won’t want it published now after the Glastonbury fiasco. It couldn’t be worse timing.”

The same source added: “Heads don’t roll at the BBC, and that has made people sloppy.”

Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale echoed the concerns, calling the delay “extraordinary” and adding: “If I was on the BBC board, and indeed, if I was the Secretary of State, I would be wanting to know why this hasn’t been completed and lessons learned and measures put in place to stop it happening again.”

Shadow Culture Secretary Stuart Andrew added: “This dither and delay seriously risks eroding public trust. If the BBC is serious about transparency and accountability, it must explain the hold-up and release the report immediately.”

A BBC spokesperson responded, saying [via the Telegraph]: “We would urge caution with regard to any speculation around a process that is not yet complete.

"As we have said previously, it is vital that this work is done as quickly as possible, but it must also be thorough and follow a proper process. The findings of the review will be published as soon as possible.”

The BBC is currently preparing for charter renewal negotiations with the Government, where editorial standards are expected to be a key topic.

According to one BBC insider: “Lisa Nandy has been far less cosy with the BBC leadership than people expected her to be. This is making life for Tim Davie more uncomfortable.”