Miriam Margolyes leads calls for BBC board member to be SACKED amid Gaza doc axe as 400+ artists sign open letter

The letter, also backed by 111 current BBC journalists who signed anonymously, accuses Gibb of a conflict of interest in relation to the BBC’s reporting on Israel and Palestine.

The signatories expressed “concerns over opaque editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine,” citing the BBC’s controversial decision to shelve the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack.

Although commissioned by the BBC, the film was dropped amid concerns that it “risked creating a perception of partiality.”

The letter alleges that this move “demonstrates, once again, that the BBC is not reporting ‘without fear or favour’ when it comes to Israel.”

Organised by a group of BBC insiders, the letter highlights deep unease over what it describes as the broadcaster being “crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government.”

Central to the criticism is Gibb's role within the BBC, particularly his position on the editorial standards committee.

“We are concerned that an individual with close ties to the Jewish Chronicle… has a say in the BBC’s editorial decisions in any capacity, including the decision not to broadcast Gaza: Medics Under Fire,” the letter states.

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Gibb, a former head of the BBC’s Westminster political team, helped lead the consortium that purchased the Jewish Chronicle in 2020. He remained a director of Jewish Chronicle Media until August 2024.

His involvement with the publication, known for its strong pro-Israel stance, has raised questions about impartiality among staff and industry peers.

The letter further claims that BBC staff have faced internal scrutiny for perceived bias, while Gibb has remained “in an influential post with little transparency regarding his decisions despite his ideological leanings being well known.”

The statement continues: “We can no longer ask licence fee payers to overlook Gibb’s ideological allegiances.”

The signatories argue that these editorial issues are having a direct impact on the BBC’s journalism. “As an organisation, we have not offered any significant analysis of the UK government’s involvement in the war on Palestinians.

“We have failed to report on weapons sales or their legal implications. These stories have instead been broken by the BBC’s competitors.”

Calling Gibb’s position “untenable,” the letter concludes: “We, the undersigned BBC staff, freelancers and industry figures, are extremely concerned that the BBC’s reporting on Israel and Palestine continues to fall short of the standards our audiences expect.

“We call on the BBC to do better for our audiences and recommit to our values of impartiality, honesty, and reporting without fear or favour.”

In response, a BBC spokesperson said: “Robust discussions amongst our editorial teams about our journalism are an essential part of the editorial process. We have ongoing discussions about coverage and listen to feedback from staff, and we think these conversations are best had internally.”

Regarding its Middle East coverage, the BBC added: “The BBC is fully committed to covering the conflict impartially and has produced powerful coverage from the region. Alongside breaking news, ongoing analysis, and investigations, we have produced award-winning documentaries such as Life and Death in Gaza, and Gaza 101.”