A Panorama insider claimed the programme has been used as a scapegoat amid “constant mistakes” made by the broadcaster
Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday following criticism that the US President's speech on January 6, 2020 – and broadcast as part of a BBC Panorama documentary, was 'dishonestly' edited.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has put the BBC ‘on notice’ that he is planning to sue the corporation for $1billion in further headache for the broadcaster.
While Panorama staff accept it was a mistake to misleadingly splice together clips of the US President, it is understood the team believes the scale of the error has been exaggerated.
“If you take a step back and you look at the totality of what happened… they could have just as easily edited it from the end section, where he says ‘fight like hell or you won’t have a country’," a Panorama source said.
"Then about five seconds later, he says, ‘we’re going to march down Pennsylvania Avenue,” they added.
Mr Trump was accused of inciting a mob to storm the Capitol, but was later acquitted of an impeachment charge.
The source told the Times there was “no intention to mislead” from the programme's staff, adding that they were trying to sum up and cut down a lengthy speech.
They claimed the Panaroma has been used as a scapegoat amid “the constant mistakes” made over its coverage of the war in Gaza, arguing these were the main reason behind why their bosses stepped down over night.
“It just feels really unfair,” the source said.
The BBC has also faced scrutiny over its Gaza coverage.
A leaked internal memo letter to the BBC Board accuses its Arabic Service of deliberately “minimising Israeli suffering,” “painting Israel as the aggressor,” and showing “a desire always to believe the worst about Israel”, according to the Telegraph.
It also suggests that the broadcaster gave “unjustifiable weight” to Hamas-issued casualty figures.
On Mondahy BBC chairman Samir Shah apologised for the editing of Mr Trump's speech.
Mr Shah said there have been more than 500 complaints since the publication of the memo that raised concerns about the editing of the speech by Donald Trump, adding: “We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
Mr Shah continued: "I am absolutely clear that the BBC must champion impartiality. It is more necessary now than ever before. "
He said the corporation would need to “hold the highest standards in all our content – video, audio and online.”
Nigel Farage told LBC this morning that the BBC had “deeply offended the leader of the free world.”
Mr Farage went on to say the BBC “has been institutionally biased for decades.”
“If the BBC doesn’t now get a grip, get somebody in from the outside, somebody who has got a history and a culture of changing organisations, of turning them around, then I think what you would see within the next couple of years are many, many millions just refusing, just not wanting to have the license fee," he added.
Speaking for the first time since stepping down on Sunday, the corporation's former news chief dismissed accusations of "institutional bias" – as she hit back at Trump's comments on the subject.
Responding outside Broadcasting House, Ms Turness said: "I'd like to make one thing very clear, BBC News is not institutionally biased."
Hitting back at claims made by the US President that the organisation is "corrupt," she insisted "of course our journalists aren't corrupt".
"I would like to say it has been the privilege of my career to serve as the CEO of BBC News and to work with our brilliant team of journalists," she added.
It comes as Nigel Farage led a string of MPs calling for "wholesale changes" at the BBC after Ms Turness and Mr Davie's departures.
Following Mr Davie's resignation, several Conservative and Reform MPs have joined the American leader is calling for reset at the broadcaster, with Mr Farage accusing the disgraced BBC chief of "double standards" over his handling of the crisis.
The footage, edited as part of the documentary, saw the President call on his supporters "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard."
Taking to Truth Social the President said: "The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught 'doctoring' my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th."
He went on to thank the Telegraph who first reported that the Panorama documentary edited two separate clips together in a way that altered the messaging.
President Trump continued: "These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!"
Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump's press secretary, also slammed the BBC in a recent tweet.
She shared screenshots of her interview with the Telegraph, where she dubbed the BBC a "leftist propaganda machine", alongside another screenshot of Mr Davie announcing his departure.
Mr Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday following the backlash.
LBC has approached the BBC for comment.
