Culture Secretary to Hold Urgent Talks with BBC Chair Over Gaza Documentary

• Feb 28, 2025

Lisa Nandy to seek assurances on review after BBC admits to “serious flaws” in the making of controversial film

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is set to meet with BBC chair Samir Shah on Friday following the corporation’s apology over “serious flaws” in the production of a documentary about the war in Gaza.

Nandy said she would be seeking confirmation that the review commissioned by the BBC’s director general would be thorough and rigorous, ensuring full accountability.

The BBC has faced intense criticism after it was revealed that the 13-year-old narrator of Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone is the son of the deputy agriculture minister in Gaza’s Hamas government.

On Thursday, the broadcaster acknowledged that a “limited” payment was made to the boy’s mother by Hoyo Films, the independent production company behind the documentary.

Government Demands Full Accountability

In a statement, Nandy said: “The public rightly expects the BBC to uphold the highest standards in reporting and governance. That’s why I will be meeting with the BBC chair today to seek assurances that the fact-finding review will be comprehensive and rigorous.

“It is crucial for public trust that this review is conducted swiftly and that appropriate action is taken based on its findings.”

Following a BBC board meeting on Thursday, the corporation admitted to significant editorial failings in the documentary’s production. A spokesperson stated: “Some of these errors were made by the production company, and some by the BBC itself; all of them are unacceptable. We apologise for this.”

They added that while Hoyo Films was responsible for delivering a fully compliant documentary, the BBC retained ultimate editorial responsibility for the programme as broadcast.

BBC’s Oversight Failures

The BBC revealed it had repeatedly asked Hoyo Films in writing about any possible links between Abdullah al-Yazouri, the film’s young narrator, and Hamas. It was only after the documentary aired that Hoyo Films disclosed it had known all along that Abdullah’s father was a Hamas minister but failed to inform the BBC.

“It was then the BBC’s own failing that we did not uncover this fact before broadcast,” the spokesperson admitted, adding that further details on the payment to the boy’s mother were being sought.

Calls for an Independent Inquiry

The BBC board described the mistakes in the documentary’s production as “significant and damaging.”

Shadow Culture Minister Stuart Andrew has called for a fully independent inquiry and suggested police involvement if there is any indication that payments were made to Hamas or its affiliates.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Andrew said: “The possibility of payments being made to Hamas or their affiliates is deeply troubling. That is why we are calling for a full independent inquiry to ensure transparency and accountability.”

He added that if public money had inadvertently reached Hamas, “that would warrant a proper criminal investigation.” Hamas is classified as a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK government.

Ex-BBC Executive: “Rookie Errors” Were Made

Roger Mosey, former head of BBC television news, said the corporation had made fundamental mistakes.

“This wasn’t just an unfortunate accident—it was a failure of individuals to properly do their jobs and ensure the programme was fit for broadcast,” he said on the Today programme.

Mosey emphasised that covering such a contentious issue required meticulous editorial oversight. “The BBC has to prove its impartiality on the most difficult stories. Instead, this has unravelled quickly, exposing clear errors in judgment.”

However, he rejected accusations that the BBC harbours a systematic bias against Israel. “I don’t believe the BBC is biased on major issues regarding Israel and the Middle East. The BBC works hard to get these stories right, but this incident seriously undermines that effort.”

Documentary Pulled from BBC Platforms

The BBC confirmed that it has no plans to rebroadcast Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone or return it to iPlayer.