Trump blasts BBC as 'corrupt' after top boss steps down over backlash to edited clip

Donald Trump has blasted BBC News after two of its top bosses have stepped down seemingly following the backlash from an edited documentary clip.

On Sunday (9 November), BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness quit after the organisation was accused of misleadingly editing a speech made by Trump in Washington DC on 6 January 2021.

Panorama documentary Trump: A Second Chance? was broadcast a week before last year's election and included a number of clips from the president's speech, as he appeared to encourage the Capitol Hill riot of January 2021.

The film was edited in such a way that made it look like Trump said: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol... and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell."

Donald Trump has hit out at BBC News in a scathing rant (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

However, what the Republican leader actually said was: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women."

It appears that the 'fight like hell' line was taken from a section where Trump discussed how 'corrupt' US elections were.

Meanwhile, the riot at the Capitol building still took place that afternoon and the politician was acquitted of a single impeachment charge of inciting a mob to storm the property.

Davie said he is still working with the board to help find a 'successor over the coming months' (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

After last night's resignations, Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social: "The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught 'doctoring' my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th."

He thanked The Telegraph, who leaked the memo last week, 'for exposing these corrupt 'journalists''.

"These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election," Trump added.

"On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!"

Turness acknowledged that 'mistakes' were made (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

In a statement, Turness admitted that 'the ongoing controversy around the Panorama on President Trump has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC'.

"As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me - and I took the decision to offer my resignation to the director general last night," she said.

"While mistakes have been made, I want to be absolutely clear recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong."

Davie, who didn't mention the Panorama documentary in his statement, added: "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."