Over 200 industry professionals call for investigation into systemic anti-Jewish racism at the broadcaster

More than 200 people from the TV and film industries have signed an open letter demanding an urgent investigation into allegations of antisemitism at the BBC. The group includes prominent media figures such as Leo Pearlman, managing partner at Fulwell 73, former BBC One controller Danny Cohen, and ex-ITV executive Claudia Rosencrantz.

The letter claims that 208 individuals, the majority of whom are Jewish, are in “anguish and disbelief” at the BBC’s failure to address previous complaints about antisemitism related to coverage and social media content amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. It states that the BBC’s handling of such issues has led to a loss of trust within the Jewish community, with accusations that “Jews don’t count” when it comes to racism and discrimination within the organisation.

The group highlights the BBC’s double standard, arguing that if similar incidents had affected other minorities, the broadcaster would have responded with “zero tolerance.” The letter calls for a formal investigation into what it describes as systemic antisemitism and bias at the BBC, accusing senior management of not properly addressing the issue despite multiple breaches of social media guidelines and other incidents.

The signatories point to specific examples, including Gary Lineker’s controversial retweet of a pro-Palestinian message in 2023, as well as social media posts by The Apprentice contestant Asif Munaf and BBC Arabic staff, all of which have raised concerns about the corporation’s editorial impartiality and handling of antisemitism.

Despite BBC Director-General Tim Davie’s statements that some of the tweets were “unacceptable,” the letter’s signatories feel that Jewish staff, in particular, have been let down by the broadcaster. They also expressed dissatisfaction with responses from senior BBC figures, accusing the organisation of failing to take meaningful action.

Former Panorama producer Neil Grant, a signatory to the letter, stated, “Jews don’t count inside the BBC. No other minority would be treated this way.” He called for the BBC Board to take the matter seriously, noting the extensive evidence provided by over 200 colleagues.

In response, the BBC expressed concern that staff felt unsupported, reiterating its commitment to addressing any complaints confidentially. The broadcaster reaffirmed its dedication to impartiality and stated that action had been taken where mistakes in staff conduct had occurred.

Additionally, the BBC has introduced a staff-led network, BBC Embrace, to support its Jewish and Arab employees, as well as Muslim staff members, since October 2023.