BBC Director General resigns over a storm of allegations

New BBC Director General George Entwistle resigned last night over the Newsnight fiasco.

Mr Entwistle, in office only 54 days, said quitting was the “honourable thing” to do.

He declared: “When appointed to the role, drawing on my 23 years as producer and leader at the BBC, I was confident the trustees had chosen the best person for the post.

“However, the wholly exceptional events of the past few weeks have led me to conclude the BBC should appoint a new leader”.

Newsnight, the 22-year-old corporation’s flagship current affairs programme, is now under fire for broadcasting a report on November 2 that led to the former Tory politician Lord McAlpine being implicated in the sex scandal at the Bryn Estyn care home.

Newsnight did not name the peer directly, but allegations made by Steven Messham, who is the abuse victim, pointed to the politician.

A week after Mr Messham admitted he made a mistake, as Lord McAlpine was not involved in the case.

Mr Entwistle has been pitched into a news crisis since he began his mandate and he was doomed the moment John Humphrys, who is the Today presenter, humiliated the BBC Director General on Radio 4’s Today show.

George Entwistle admitted he had neither watched the controversial Newsnight nor seen the front-page of Friday newspaper story that raised serious concerns over the 2 November report.

As the Director General of the BBC, he is ultimately responsible for all content as the editor-in-chief and this is the reason why he decided to step down.

He was set to put in place big changes within the BBC but was overwhelmed by all the events linked to Savile sex scandal and made his dramatic resignation statement outside Broadcasting House in London. 

BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten, who was at his side, said:”George Entwistle has very honourably offered us his resignation because of the unacceptable mistake, which has caused so much controversy. He has behaved as an editor with huge courage”.

The BBC has been one of the most respected national institutions for nearly a century.

However, the corporation is now at a crossroad as its integrity has been damaged in front of the world and the whole future depends on the public trust.

Tim Davie, the current director of audio and music, who was due to take over as chief executive of the Corporation’s commercial arm NNC Worldwide, will temporarily replace George Entwistle.