Shumeet Banerji quits BBC board after Trump documentary fallout

Highlights:

• Another shake-up at the BBC board
• Banerji says he was not told before senior exits
• Resignation lands days before key committee hearing
• The Trump documentary edit still hanging over the broadcaster

Shumeet Banerji’s BBC board resignation dropped quietly on Friday. The Indian-origin investor stepped down after saying he was not consulted over the exit of Director General Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness. The move links straight back to the Trump documentary edit, the flashpoint that has shaken the broadcaster for weeks.

Shumeet Banerji stepped down from the BBC board after weeks of turmoil inside the broadcaster Instagrab Screengrab/jeffreyklump

Why the BBC board resignation matters

The board has been under fire since the Panorama edit of Donald Trump’s 2021 speech was shown out of sequence, creating the impression he called for violence on the day of the Capitol riot. After the edit became public, top executives resigned. The BBC apologised, but Trump threatened legal action.

Members of the media gather outside Broadcasting House on November 10, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. BBC Director General Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, have resigned.Getty Images

Was the board already under strain?

The BBC board resignation lands at a moment when internal tensions are already out in the open. Chairman Samir Shah, alongside Sir Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson, are due to face MPs on Monday. They will be asked about everything from the Trump edit to alleged political pressure.

Some inside the BBC say the board has been split for months. Gibb, a former No.10 communications chief under Theresa May and a Conservative figure, has repeatedly raised questions about left-leaning bias. Others say the memo that kicked all this off, written by former adviser Michael Prescott, was overblown. Prescott insists it was not political.

The BBC board prepares to face MPs following weeks of internal fallout and public criticismGetty Images

What happens next for Banerji and the BBC?

Banerji’s term was set to end next month anyway. The BBC says the search for his replacement is already underway. He also sits on the board of Reliance Industries and Jio Platforms, and runs Condorcet, a technology investment firm. He has not spoken beyond the resignation note.

BBC is still waiting for further comment. The broadcaster’s spokesperson issued a short statement, thanking Banerji and confirming he had stepped down. The BBC isn’t just dealing with a row over one edit anymore; it’s now wrestling with trust, power, and who gets to decide how the broadcaster is run.