Shumeet Banerji, an independent director on the BBC’s board, resigned on Friday following controversy over the broadcaster’s incorrect edit of a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump, which has triggered the threat of a $5 billion lawsuit.
Banerji, who also sits on the board of Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries and previously served as chief executive of Booz & Company, stepped down just weeks before the end of his four-year term. The BBC confirmed his departure, noting that he had raised concerns about governance at the top of the corporation.
In his resignation letter, Banerji said he had not been consulted about the circumstances leading to the resignations of Director General Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness. Both quit on November 9 after accusations of bias, including criticism of how Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech was edited in the broadcaster’s Panorama programme.
The BBC apologised on November 13 for the edit but insisted there was no legal basis for Trump to pursue a defamation case.
The broadcaster, which is largely funded by a mandatory £174.50 ($228.56) annual licence fee paid by UK households that watch live television or use its online video services, now faces heightened scrutiny over its editorial standards and governance.