Emily Maitlis sparks outrage as former BBC star shares 'deluded' reaction to Tim Davie resignation: 'What a ridiculous remark!'

Deborah Turness, the corporation's CEO of News and Current Affairs, also quit her role over the controversy. In her statement, she took responsibility for the saga, stating the "buck stops with me".

In a statement announcing his resignation on Sunday evening, Mr Davie said: "Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable.

"While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision.

"Overall, the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director general I have to take ultimate responsibility."

Political leaders from all major parties have since reacted to Mr Davie's decision, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy among those praising the former director-general for his service with the BBC.

However, the likes of Reform UK's Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch have called for major change to the institution as claims of "systemic bias" continue to plague the corporation.

Several other prominent figures have had their say, including Ms Maitlis, who used to be one of the corporation's biggest names before she announced an exit of her own.

Ms Maitlis quit the BBC alongside fellow journalist Jon Sopel in 2022 to launch a new podcast and radio show with Global.

At the time, Ms Maitlis called it a "wrench to leave the BBC after 20 phenomenal years" and said she was "so grateful" for her time with the corporation.

After learning of Mr Davie's resignation, Ms Maitlis took to X, but rather than suggest the former director-general held any accountability, she took aim at President Trump for his supposed role in the decision.

This https://t.co/Aqw0rO2pZH

— emily m (@maitlis) November 9, 2025

"This," Ms Maitlis wrote on X in a quote-post which included remarks from fellow journalist Tim Walker who'd claimed: "It should not be a matter for Trump who runs the BBC."

Within minutes of Ms Maitlis making her stance on Mr Davie's departure clear, she found herself inundated with irked responses.

"It’s not a matter for Trump. It’s a matter for truth, honesty and integrity. The BBC are currently a national disgrace," one X user fired back in response.

Elsewhere, a second similarly hit back: "The great unmasking. The BBC are responsible. Nobody else."

"What a ridiculous remark. Editing footage to reframe a speech as something it’s not is pure propaganda - why are you defending that?" a third questioned.

And a fourth also pointed out to Ms Maitlis: "It's not though, is it? The Trump story is one aspect of the way the BBC is managed."

"You're so used to lying in your news podcast that you think that when the BEEB does it means nothing, you're one of the worst shills I have ever seen," a fifth brutally reacted.

While a sixth echoed: "Even now, the BBC's staff are unable to recognise the failures of the channel they work for. It will continue to go downhill. Put it out of our misery now, ffs."

"BBC doctor news to fit its agenda. Maitlis, as a former BBC hack and leftie shouter, thinks this is fine. No comment needed," a seventh raged.

And an eighth added to the discussion: "You lot are so deluded……The BBC were caught bang to rights doctoring a video to create misinformation and then broadcasting it. That’s a matter for all of us and for President Trump." (sic)

However, there were a handful of Ms Maitlis's followers and fellow X users who agreed with her stance on the news.

One X user sided with the podcaster: "Absolutely. Even if he thinks it is, we should well and truly tell him to f*** off." (sic)

Ms Maitlis's Global colleague and fellow former BBC employee, Mr Sopel, also took to social media, but unlike his Global colleague, he did suggest the corporation held some blame.

Still squeezing in a barbed dig at the US President, Mr Sopel wrote: "The former Apprentice host says ‘you’re fired’ - and out go the DG and News CEO - over a dumb, moronic Panorama edit.

"Why on earth didn’t the BBC simply apologise when this first came to light. Whole thing seems bizarre." (sic)

The resignations come after The Telegraph published details of a leaked internal BBC memo earlier this week that suggested the Panorama programme edited two parts of Trump's speech together so he appeared to explicitly encourage the Capitol Hill riots of January 2021.

The former Apprentice host says ‘you’re fired’ - and out go the DG and News CEO - over a dumb, moronic Panorama edit. Why on earth didn’t the BBC simply apologise when this first came to light. Whole thing seems bizarre pic.twitter.com/i4z1ppdRD3

— Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) November 9, 2025

In President Trump's speech in Washington DC on January 6, 2021, he said: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women."

However, this changed in the Panorama edit. Instead, he was depicted saying: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol... and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell."

The two sections of the speech that were spliced together by programme bosses were made almost an hour apart.