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400+ media figures urge BBC to remove board member over Gaza coverage

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 Jul 2025 08:35
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More than 400 public figures are calling for Robbie Gibb's removal from the BBC board over bias in the network’s coverage of the Israeli war on Gaza.

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A woman walks outside the BBC Headquarters in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (AP)

More than 400 prominent actors, writers, and media figures have called on the BBC to remove board member Robbie Gibb over what they describe as "opaque decisions made at senior levels" concerning the BBC's coverage of the Israeli war on Gaza, Anadolu reported.

Among the signatories are well-known figures such as Miriam Margolyes, Alexei Sayle, and Juliet Stevenson. The letter, submitted to BBC management on Wednesday, criticizes Gibb for a potential conflict of interest related to his involvement in the network's Middle East reporting.

BBC accused of censorship, editorial bias

The letter was also signed by 111 BBC journalists who voiced "concerns over opaque editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine."

One focal point of the criticism is the BBC's decision to drop the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack. Initially commissioned by the network, the film was later shelved due to concerns it "risked creating a perception of partiality."

The documentary, which was ultimately aired on Channel 4 on Wednesday night, depicts the collapse of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip under continuous Israeli bombardment and raids.

According to the letter, shelving the film highlights the BBC's failure to report "without fear or favour" on matters concerning "Israel".

'BBC crippled by the fear'

The letter further accuses the BBC of being "crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government," pointing to Gibb's dual role on the BBC board and its editorial standards committee.

Robbie Gibb, a former communications chief for ex-Prime Minister Theresa May and one-time head of the BBC's Westminster political team, has also been linked to the Jewish Chronicle.

He led the consortium that acquired the newspaper in 2020 and served as a director of Jewish Chronicle Media.

The signatories assert, "For many of us, our efforts have been frustrated by opaque decisions made at senior levels of the BBC without discussion or explanation. Our failures impact audiences."