John Simpson leads BBC stars mocking Donald Trump for threatening to

John Simpson today led a chorus of BBC stars who have mocked Donald Trump’s threat to sue the corporation.

As outgoing director-general Tim Davie called for staff to ‘stand up for our journalism’ in the face of a billion-dollar lawsuit, the lifelong BBC employee ridiculed the threat sent by lawyers on behalf of the US President.

Alejandro Brito, Mr Trump’s legal counsel, described the editing of a clip on Panorama as ‘salacious’ in a letter that Mr Simpson said was sent to the wrong address.

‘Due to their salacious nature, the fabricated statements that were aired by the BBC have been widely disseminated throughout various digital mediums, which have reached tens of millions of people worldwide,’ the letter read.

The letter was sent to BBC Studios, the broadcaster’s commercial arm, at the former Television Centre, rather than the BBC itself at New Broadcasting House.

The editing of two pieces of footage appeared to suggest Mr Trump incited violence ahead of the January 6 riots – an error to which the BBC has now owned up.

‘Donald Trump’s demand for a billion dollars from the BBC comes from a local Florida law firm,’ Mr Simpson wrote on X.

‘It was sent to the wrong address, and the writer didn’t know what “salacious” really means: “Due to their salacious nature, the fabricated statements that were aired by the BBC…”‘

He joins a sea of current and former BBC journalists who are attempting to defend the corporation against what outgoing director-general Mr Davie described as a narrative ‘given by our enemies’ following the leak of a damning memo by former independent adviser Michael Prescott.

Mr Davie, alongside BBC News boss Deborah Turness, resigned on Sunday after the internal briefing expressed discomfort over the Trump clip and concerns over how parts of the BBC reported on trans issues, migrants and conflict in Gaza.

BBC world affairs editor John Simpson has ridiculed the legal threat sent by lawyers on behalf of Donald Trump to the corporation

Mr Simpson mocked the letter sent by Mr Trump’s lawyers after it was sent to the wrong address and used the word ‘salacious’ to describe an edit on Panorama

A day later, former political editor Nick Robinson used his opening monologue on Monday’s Today to leap to the BBC’s defence, suggesting sources had told him ‘political interference’ was afoot amid a ‘hostile takeover of parts of the BBC’.

He further claimed that efforts to apologise last week before the row spiralled out of control were rebuffed by the board.

Pointedly, he added: ‘I understand that at the time of transmission of the Panorama film in October 2024 there were no complaints received about the editing of Donald Trump’s speech.’

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Jonathan Dimbleby, a former BBC journalist and long-time collaborator with the broadcaster, also defended it in an interview with LBC on Monday in which he compared Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin.

‘If you’ve got a combination of Netanyahu, Putin and Trump denouncing the BBC there must be something quite good about it,’ Mr Dimbleby, who admitted he regarded Tim Davie as a ‘good friend’, said.

‘As we gain a little bit more perspective people will realise it is actually the most and impartial broadcasting institution in the world.

‘I’m really sad that [Davie] felt he had to go under all the psychological and professional pressures. I think the BBC is weaker with for as long as it can’t find an adequate replacement for him.’

Former BBC star journalists Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall weighed in on the matter on their podcast, The News Agents.

Ms Maitlis said: ‘When Michael Prescott wrote his dossier… and said the programme materially misled viewers, I think you have to really step back.’

Mr Goodall added: ‘That edit in question was a mistake. It was clearly misjudged. But the idea that it is an example of institutional bias against Trump is absurd.’

But Mr Sopel, the BBC’s former America editor, thundered: ‘You do not edit two clips together. Now, why did the BBC apologise last week? That’s the fascinating bit of politics that has gone on here.’

Earlier today, Mr Davie told BBC staff the corporation has to ‘stand up for our journalism’ in a defiant statement against the broadcaster’s ‘enemies’ – while admitting a ‘mistake’ was made with the edited clip of Donald Trump.

Yesterday, BBC chairman Samir Shah also admitted there had been an ‘error of judgement’. Trump has threatened to sue the corporation for $1billion (£761million).

‘I think we did make a mistake, and there was an editorial breach, and I think some responsibility had to be taken,’ Mr Davie told employees in an address – confirming that he had chosen to finally fall on his sword after enduring countless BBC rows.

Outgoing BBC director–general Tim Davie has told staff to ‘stand up for our journalism’ in an internal briefing (pictured) after announcing his resignation

Nick Robinson leapt to the defence of the BBC with a monologue on Monday’s Today programme in which he suggested there were ‘political’ meddlings afoot

Mr Davie pictured outside New Broadcasting House today, where he also spoke briefly to reporters in the wake of the Trump Panorama scandal

Mr Davie, who announced his resignation on Sunday, said the BBC would be ‘thriving’ in future

However, he paid tribute to his colleague Ms Turness, describing her as an ‘absolute fighter for impartiality’, adding: ‘I think we should credit her for doing a really tough job… because the level of weaponisation and polarisation in the world is out there.’

Describing the crisis as ‘very discombobulating’ for staff, the BBC boss stressed that he wanted to see them ‘stand up for our journalism’ so the ‘narrative will not just be given by our enemies’.

‘These times are difficult for the BBC, but we get through them… and we will thrive. And this narrative will not just be given by our enemies. It’s our narrative,’ he said.

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‘We have to be very clear and stand up for our journalism. We are a unique and precious organisation, and I see the free press under pressure, I see the weaponisation. I think we’ve got to fight for our journalism.’

He repeated a claim from the BBC’s own annual reports that trust has grown in the organisation – and said it had been a ‘difficult decision’ to resign.

Ultimately, he told staff, he also resigned for the sake of his personal life, and to let someone else take the reigns ahead of the BBC’s Charter being renewed at the end of 2027 – which is widely expected to herald the end of the traditional licence fee.

‘I thought at some point I’m not going to be at the BBC, and I need to reflect on that and the relentlessness of it and ensure that it’s done in a way that does work for the BBC…Putting that together, that’s what made my decision,’ he concluded.

Mr Davie had earlier insisted reporters were doing ‘incredibly important’ work as he spoke outside New Broadcasting House in London this morning, adding that he was ‘very proud’ of them and that the corporation is ‘going to be thriving’.

Looking solemn as he approached reporters in white trainers and a dark blue Reiss suit, Mr Davie said: ‘I’m here to lead and support the BBC. I’m very, very proud of our journalists in this building.

‘They’re doing work that I think is incredibly important. I want to thank every one of them, they’re doing a wonderful job – also, everyone across the BBC doing their thing, their bit for the UK.

‘Personally, I’m here to lead and support them. The BBC is going to be thriving and I support every one of the team. I’m very proud of them.’

He did not answer questions, but flashed a brief thumbs up before entering the building. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is expected to make a statement in the Commons on the issues plaguing the BBC today.

Mr Davie looked solemn as he arrived at New Broadcasting House on Tuesday – the first time he has been seen in public since announcing his resignation

Yesterday, outgoing director of BBC News Deborah Turness defiantly insisted that her newsroom was not ‘institutionally biased’

Yesterday, the BBC confirmed it had received a letter from lawyers for Donald Trump informing them they had been put ‘on notice’.

Mr Trump’s legal team has demanded a full retraction, immediate apology and an offer of compensation over the ‘fabricated depiction’ of the 47th President in the Panorama documentary.

BBC chair Mr Shah said of Mr Trump: ‘He’s a litigious fellow. So we should be prepared for all outcomes.’

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He said the broadcaster had received more than 500 complaints since an explosive memo detailing the edit was leaked, but denied an issue with ‘systemic bias’.

A BBC spokesman said it ‘will review the letter and respond directly in due course’.

The President has form in this area, having settled cases with ABC News and CBS News in the past. He is currently engaged in lawsuits against the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

The White House is also said to be mulling over whether to restrict BBC journalists from press packs.

The Associated Press agency has had its access to the President severely limited after it refused to call the Gulf of Mexico by his preferred name, the Gulf of America.

Labour has leapt to the BBC’s defence after Downing Street backed the corporation in the wake of Mr Davie and Ms Turness’ resignations.

Number 10 has, however, refused to comment on President Trump’s threat to sue – lest it upset the ‘special relationship’ between the UK and the US. Sir Keir Starmer has not spoken to the President about the threatened legal action.

A spokesman said today it was ‘a matter for the BBC’, adding: ‘It’s clearly not for the Government to comment on any ongoing legal matters.’

The spokesman would not be drawn on whether the Government would help pay any damages were Trump to sue and win.

‘Our position is clear: The BBC is independent and it’s for the corporation to respond to questions about their editorial decisions and, more broadly, we have a close relationship with the US on shared priorities, including security,’ he said.

Local government minister Alison McGovern told Times Radio that the UK should avoid having a ‘national meltdown’ about the corporation.

‘I think we need to make sure that the BBC, one of our most trusted media organisations, invests in quality journalism and tells the stories that we all want to hear,’ she said. She declined to be drawn on whether Mr Trump should be able to sue.

Originally written for the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board, Mr Prescott’s briefing paper claimed a group of pro–trans reporters were effectively stonewalling the reporting of gender critical views.

Instead, the corporation was alleged to have published a ‘constant drip–feed of one–sided stories…celebrating the trans experience’, Mr Prescott said.

His memo also noted that several BBC Arabic service reporters were allegedly covering stories critical of Israel while not covering the abduction of hostages by Hamas on October 7.

Mr Prescott also claimed the BBC sent relatively few notifications to readers about stories covering asylum seekers.

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It was in his brief that the editing issue around President Trump was raised. It appeared in Panorama documentary Trump: A Second Chance?, which aired a week before Americans went to the polls in 2024.

Mr Prescott had been due to give evidence to MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Wednesday but the session has been postponed.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he had spoken to Mr Trump about the scandal on Friday and claimed the edit amounted to ‘election interference’ by the BBC.

While the edit suggested the President was encouraging supporters to walk to the Capitol building in Washington DC to ‘fight like hell’, it later emerged he had told them ‘to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard’.

The row intensified as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, writing in his Mail+ column, threatened to withhold his licence fee if Mr Davie did not speak out. The column was shared by President Trump online.

Mr Farage told LBC yesterday that the BBC had ‘deeply offended the leader of the free world, an absolutely crucial ally, whether you like Trump or not’.

Trump himself labelled Mr Davie and Ms Turness ‘very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election’ in a post on TruthSocial.

There have been rumblings within the corporation that the row is part of a politically motivated boardroom plot.

Donald Trump has claimed the scalps of Mr Davie and Ms Turness, writing on Truth Social: ‘These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election’

Deborah Turness, it is understood, had sought to have a statement admitting to the Trump editing error approved last week – but BBC board executives refused to sign it off.

Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, and John Swinney, leader of the SNP, have called for the removal of Sir Robbie Gibb – a one–time BBC political editor and one–time spin doctor for Theresa May – from the broadcaster’s board.

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They claim that he ‘led the charge’ in pressuring the corporation’s leadership. Nick Robinson, former political editor, said friends of Sir Robbie claimed he had ‘supported’ Mr Davie and wanted him to stay.

Tim Davie served as acting director–general for six months from November 2012 after George Entwistle resigned in the wake of the Jimmy Savile and Lord McAlpine scandals.

He returned to the job permanently in 2020 and survived several controversies including allowing punk rap duo Bob Vylan to lead chants of ‘death, death to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)’ live on air at Glastonbury, and the Huw Edwards scandal.

His unwavering faith in the BBC comes after Ms Turness defiantly told reporters on Monday that journalists in the corporation were not ‘corrupt’.

She said outside New Broadcasting House: ‘Of course our journalists aren’t corrupt. Our journalists are hardworking people who strive for impartiality and I will stand by their journalism.

‘I stepped down over the weekend because the buck stops with me. But I’d like to make one thing very clear, BBC News is not institutionally biased.’