A TOP Channel 4 news anchor has hit out at BBC bosses for avoiding scrutiny after a series of scandals hit the broadcaster.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the lead presenter on Channel 4 News, said it was “utterly bizarre” that executives at the public broadcaster were refusing to answer questions.
Guru-Murthy took particular aim at Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, for avoiding speaking to the media despite his public-facing role.
The Channel 4 anchor wrote on social media: “BBC bosses are again refusing to do interviews. In fact the director-general has refused interview requests on the BBC Annual Report, the serious allegations at Strictly, and now the Huw Edwards scandal.
“It is utterly bizarre that this public organisation that we all have a stake in is refusing to face questions on its behaviour.”
BBC bosses are again refusing to do interviews. In fact the Director General has refused interview requests on the BBC Annual Report, the serious allegations at Strictly and now the Huw Edwards scandal. It is utterly bizarre that this public organisation that we all have a stake…
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) August 1, 2024
BBC director-general Davie is expected to be question in private by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy over what the corporation knew about Huw Edwards’s case after the veteran broadcaster admitted accessing indecent images of children.
The corporation has said it knew of the veteran broadcaster’s arrest on “suspicion of serious offences” in November, but continued employing him until April.
Questions will surely be raised about why he continued to receive his large salary – as the highest paid newsreader at the corporation – for five months after his arrest on charges of making indecent photographs of children.
Before he resigned in April on medical advice, Edwards was paid between £475,000 and £479,999 for the year 2023/24, according to the BBC’s latest annual report. This last salary marked a £40,000 pay rise from 2022/23, when he was paid between £435,000 and 439,999.
The BBC has said that if Edwards had been charged while he was still an employee it would have sacked him, but at the point of charge he no longer worked for the corporation.
Davie was expected to hold urgent talks with Nandy over the phone on Thursday, according to BBC News.
In July, Davie apologised to Strictly Come Dancing contestants who have had an experience that “hasn’t been wholly positive” after a storm about bullying on the hit programme.
The director-general’s comment were made on the same day the BBC published its annual report and announced plans to ask staff to take redundancy amid a bid to cut 500 jobs.
The BBC has been approached for comment.
