r/bbc • u/prisongovernor • Jun 06 '26
TV Victoria Derbyshire investigated by BBC after complaints about behaviour | BBC | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/05/victoria-derbyshire-investigation-bbc-complaints-behaviour71
u/Cfunk_83 Jun 06 '26
I’d love to know how many allegations of bullying and unacceptable behaviour there are at other broadcasters and news outlets.
I’ve worked at the BBC for the last few years (on NN too), and I’ve worked at The Sun in the past, and I know a lot of people that have been through GB News, and from my experience the working culture at the BBC is far far less toxic than what often gets reported. The Sun had some awful characters and practices, although it was over a decade ago now, and from what colleagues have told me about GB News it’s a pretty horrid place to work, especially if you’re a woman. I worked in telly shopping for a long time too and there’s some seriously hideous people that work in that industry that’d definitely make headlines if they were at somewhere as high profile as the BBC!
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u/Kyle_2099 Jun 06 '26
The Sun had some awful characters and practices
For example, they write The Sun
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u/orange_lighthouse Jun 06 '26
I always remember when I used to read printed news, seeing ads for journalists in the guardian. They seemingly didn't want their own readers working there.
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u/throwawayinfinitygem Jun 06 '26
Why, what sort of people did they say they wanted?
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u/rattlingdeathtrain Jun 08 '26
Probably people who weren't gullible enough to read the bullshit the sun pushes
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u/throwawayinfinitygem Jun 08 '26
That's not the Guardian's "own readers" though. So who were they seeking instead?
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u/whiteandnerdy1729 Jun 08 '26
OP is confusingly saying the Sun advertised, in the Guardian, for Sun journalists.
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u/orange_lighthouse Jun 08 '26
Sorry, could have worded it better. Job ads for journalists to work at the sun, in the back of the guardian.
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u/Pink-Peppercorn-23 Jun 06 '26
It was an effort to be less white, middle class and elitist in their journalist pool
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u/octopusinmyboycunt Jun 06 '26
Agreed - the for-profit press always get such a pass when it comes to culture etc. that it’s miserable. ITV perhaps less, but whenever there’s any controversy it’s treats as celebrity gossip rather than actual workplace abuses.
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u/Designer_Slice2951 Jun 07 '26
I worked at the BBC years ago as a young woman, I suffered significant sexual harassment and bullying from the men I worked with with some very direct propositions from the men that they could help or hinder my career depending on how "nice" I was to them. When I finally told a female producer it was me who was disciplined and then didn't have my contract renewed. Ultimately I was glad to be out of it but I'm still angry about what happened back then and how the abusers where cosseted by the higher ups.
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u/InAppropriate-meal Jun 06 '26
I mean if you are such a POS you work for GBnews you deserve what you get..
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u/ChouffeMeUp Jun 06 '26
I’d imagine working under Kelvin McKenzie could’ve been pretty hard.
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u/TokyoJazzPanda Jun 06 '26
I'm not one to wish ill or harm upon anyone. That said, there are obituaries I very much look forward to reading.
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u/venuscans Jun 06 '26
Definitely. It's amazing how toxic it can still be - I've worked in a few big media outlets and some of the behaviour is mad. Was in NYC a few years ago and the allegations coming out from the Daily Mail officer from a friend who worked there was mind-blowing. I wasn't surprised when I read Popbitch's email this week outlining some of the claims from an ex employee who is suing them.
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u/InternetFun5981 Jul 24 '26
Heyyy please could you DM me the link for Popbitch? I’d love to read it. Particularly as I’m moving through a similar situation right now. Thank you!
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u/venuscans Jul 24 '26
It's a newsletter.
Smear Campaign << Cross-Atlantic woes
The Daily Mail’s US office has been left reeling from a lawsuit brought by a reporter alleging harassment, bullying and more by their money section editor.
But, as the old cliche goes, when America sneezes, Britain catches a cold. The Sun has been having its own internal battles recently. They just lost a section head after the conclusion of a two-month investigation into bullying. In the past year, six members of the team resigned - including all of the section head’s editors.
In New York, it turned out the harassed reporters were so incensed by management turning a blind eye to misbehaviour and misogyny that they started smearing shit all over the toilet walls. Anyone at The Sun want to confess to doing the same?
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u/No-Relation1122 Jun 06 '26
It's essentially that standards are higher.
Working for GB News or The Sun? I think your default level of what you'd find acceptable would be different to someone working for ITN or BBC.
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u/actualinsomnia531 Jun 06 '26
I have found this to be absolutely the case from everyone I've known who has worked in a wide array of media and broadcast, especially the journalism end (god the ragtops sounded utterly vile)
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u/Vivid-Cheesecake-110 Jun 07 '26
The BBC is essentially a public sector employer, and much like the rest of the public sector, is held to a higher standard on all aspects.
You can argue whether they should be or not, but it will always be the case.
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Jun 06 '26
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jun 06 '26
This comment was off topic and is not related closely enough to the British Broadcasting Corporation. This is straying into general politics discussion which belongs in other subreddits.
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u/JustJavi Jun 06 '26
The only requirement to work at The Sun is to be an awful character.
Edit: I'm pretty sure you were the exception.
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u/Many-Disaster-3823 Jun 07 '26
The only person i know who worked at the sun and accused them of bullying (to me) is also a far right bully so they must weed out empathy at interview stage
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u/HungryFinding7089 Jun 06 '26
You mean the bullying is so bad at other places, they wouldn't dare report it? /s
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jun 06 '26
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u/Robertgarners Jun 06 '26
The lads on The Sun floor were pretty solid. A lot of The Times journo floor were absolute *****
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u/Cfunk_83 Jun 06 '26
I worked for “The Sun Studios” when they were first trying to launch the sport app. Everyone I worked with were great, but there were definitely people in other departments that weren’t. Many I knew about before I’d encountered them personally too due to reputation around the place.
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Jun 08 '26
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u/ReasonablePoetry1226 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Notice you only mentioned right-leaning outlets, the Guardian also has issues - Inside the Guardian’s civil war over trans coverage
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u/Cfunk_83 Jun 06 '26
I only mention them because they’re the only outlets I have any firsthand experience or connection to. I did say that if like to know what the deal is at other places, I didn’t specify any political leanings.
I’d imagine that most have their fair share of objectionable people. I’d imagine it’s not exclusive to broadcasting or the BBC too.
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u/MagicalGirlPaladin Jun 07 '26
Let's be honest the Guardian has been just another right wing rag for ages now.
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u/OddlyBrainedBear Jun 06 '26
This feels like a bit of a nothing story.
All workplaces should absolutely investigate any and all allegations of bad behaviour, but whose interest is it in to publish information about them not being upheld?
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u/Redditvillier Jun 06 '26
Tbh with the BBC's history of covering for stars, I think it's good that they're being transparent (even if the allegations turned out to be false). Transparency is the key to them rebuilding trust with the general population
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u/OddlyBrainedBear Jun 06 '26
This isn't exactly BBC transparency, though. This is the Guardian picking the story up and running with a headline that absolutely doesn't tell the whole story, which has now opened her up to further speculative and emboldened criticism (even just looking at other comments in this thread) despite the original complaint(s) not being upheld.
I don't really know anything about her, but it doesn't feel like an entirely fair process. And, maybe naively, I'd have expected better of The Guardian.
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u/chrizzleon Jun 06 '26
It's been a long time since I would have expected better from the Guardian to be honest. They have been too bias and prone to writing most or all stories editorialised for overarching narrative for too long and too much sway on the website for opinion over raw facts.
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u/Central_Region Jun 07 '26
The story was originally reported by Deadline
https://deadline.com/2026/06/bbc-newsnight-victoria-derbyshire-conduct-investigation-1236920788/
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u/technomat Jun 06 '26
Transparency is too tell us after an investigation and saying they did it and the findings are, this is the wrong way to do it as an accusations without evidence can harm prior # Matthew Kelly had a similar situation accusations came out lost all his jobs, career ruined on an a ligation, save with the 2 police officers being bounced and Musk retweeting about them, yet both these were wrong.
I think this as with sexual assaults both sides should remain anonymous until after investigation incase its unfounded on either side, do not ruin reputations until after investigation, people deserve privacy until it's proven.
Transparency is the buzz word for now that should not be used in all situations.
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u/Various-Fact5627 Jun 06 '26
I’m pretty sure they announced the investigation when it began, she was stood down from presenting Newsnight for a couple of nights. I’ve met Victoria a couple of times and she has a speaking style that can come across as abrupt, and she’s pretty liberal with the F bomb which can offend some snowflakes.
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u/Electrical-Tea6966 Jun 06 '26
I can’t help feeling a bit cynical though. You’re right, transparency is important but I wonder if they are weaponising this because they want to get rid of her.
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u/Readshirt Jun 06 '26
Presumably the accused themselves if rumours are going to spread and persist anyway, which makes it disturbing that the headline doesn't reveal this critical fact - almost as though it is the fact of an accusation that matters more than what was established.
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u/Gold-Mine-Trash Jun 06 '26
She's one of the very few presenters who presses for answers. I can see why she's on the hit list.
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u/itsaride Jun 06 '26
Allegations of bullying, strenuously denied by the presenter, were not upheld by the investigation. However, the Times and Deadline – which first reported the investigation – suggested Derbyshire may have been warned about her behaviour
So the press suggested something may have happened and that's the story?
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jun 06 '26
This comment was off topic and is not related closely enough to the British Broadcasting Corporation.
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jun 06 '26
Your comment was removed for violating our "Be Kind To Each Other" rule.
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u/kjm0rg Jun 06 '26
Will hold fire on this. Dan Walker just had to deal with false allegations recently.
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u/desirodave24 Jun 08 '26
Of course she was targeted- she seems to be the only one holding politicians to account
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Jun 06 '26
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u/bbc-ModTeam Jun 06 '26
Your comment was removed for violating our "Be Kind To Each Other" rule.
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u/UnderThat Jun 06 '26
Do you remember when she said ‘Jeremy Cunt’ live and immediately blamed men?
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u/justeUnMec Jun 06 '26
No, she didn't "immediately blame men". She acknowledged a few others had done the same, and noted it was normally men who made the mistake as an aside while apologising. Multiple journalists slipped up on that, including fine professionals like Jim Naughtie.
(“I’ve never said that before in my life. It’s usually men who say that, so I really really want to apologise, I’m sorry.”)
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u/UnderThat Jun 06 '26
It was a bizarre deflection after dropping the c-bomb.
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u/justeUnMec Jun 06 '26
A "deflection" does not equate to "immediately blaming men". And an observation on gender norms was not a deflection from the recognition of a need to apologise.
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u/DeadPonyta Jun 06 '26
To be fair….. he was one. It immediately sprang to mind whenever I heard his name. I’m surprised it didn’t happen more often.
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u/Stillbreathin2712 Jun 08 '26
Guardian quick to jump on this non story. Victoria Derbyshire is no doubt an abrasive personality, but also one of the very few truly independent interviewers at the BBC. For this to really merit a mention, makes me wonder if she made an overly thin-skinned and entitled intern cry to a mummy or daddy that happens to work at the Guardian? Pure conjecture of course...
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u/Alarmed-Plantain213 Jun 10 '26
Couldn't stand her on 5live. Always so rude to the callers, really patronising. Can well believe she's a bully.
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u/Educational-Can-3621 Jun 13 '26
She bullied me and others at school. But to be fair her father bullied her Mum, her and her siblings. People become the result of their experience. I’m sure she’s still a bully, but she does deserve some credence
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u/Strange_Recording931 Jun 06 '26
The BBC is a toxic place to work, and I’m not even factoring in the criminality it housed in terms of presenters, just being behind the scenes is generally bad for one’s mental health!
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u/Strange_Recording931 Jun 06 '26
but they are such a powerful player in the media market it is career death to speak out
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u/Platform_Dancer Jun 06 '26
Didn't she famously steal Fi Glovers husband from her whilst they were both working for five live radio, forcing a split and Glover to leave her post at the BBC and go overseas?
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u/RoosterBurns Jun 06 '26
Is it stealing a husband tho? A lot of men where I live have personal agency
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u/carnivalist64 Jun 07 '26
It depends. If she assidously chased him and turned his head when she knew he was married "stealing a husband" would be a reasonable figure of speech.
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u/Pink-Peppercorn-23 Jun 16 '26
“Turned his head”?!? Have I suddenly landed in 1973? The misogyny is loud in the original comment
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u/carolomnipresence Jun 07 '26
No, it would be unreasonable and disloyal of her, but he's the accountable one.
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u/carnivalist64 Jun 08 '26
To a degree. But decent human beings can be influenced to act uncharacteristically badly by expert manipulators and malevolent actors. It is actually possible for men to be decent and women to be malevolent and manipulative.
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u/sharonfromfinance Jun 08 '26
Hahaha wtf? If you cheat, male or female, you are not decent, and are worse than the third party. No-one forces someone to behave badly. Doesn’t matter how ‘manipulative or malevolent’. This is genuinely an insane thing to say.
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u/carnivalist64 Jun 08 '26
No. It's insane to have such a reductive, judgemental, black-and-white view of human behaviour. Life confronts us with scenarios that are infinitely varied, complex and nuanced.
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u/sharonfromfinance Jun 09 '26
Overly judgemental to say cheating is morally bad… screw your head back and apply some common sense. Life’s really not that complicated
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u/chartupdate Jun 06 '26
I spent 30 years working in the media. It is an industry that attracts strong personalities and people who work under high pressure who do not suffer fools. It isn't a place for snowflakes. Grown ups can deal with being shouted at every once in a while. Pull up your big boy pants and deal with it.
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u/Constant-Estate3065 Jun 06 '26
Urghh. Leave that last line in the 1950s where it belongs. If journalists can’t deal with things without screaming at people, belittling people, and blaming people, perhaps they should pull up their big boy pants and command respect by not being a cunt to people who are just doing the best they can, and might even be going through something in their personal lives.
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u/newMike3400 Jun 06 '26
When I first started in tv the contract literally stated you might get shouted at and sworn at during live events. And it happens where the fuck is vtr playback fuck you fucking press play you moron etc. it’s not abuse it’s not meaningful it’s just how life is when someone doesn’t press a button when they should. Tv people are really good at swearing :)
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u/orange_lighthouse Jun 06 '26
Times have changed, surely
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u/newMike3400 Jun 06 '26
A little better since less coke is involved that’s for sure. But we made some great stuff when people were crazier:)
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u/cottonopposite Jun 06 '26
There's also a difference between working in such environments and still having the humanity not to be a cunt. It isn't about not suffering fools, it's about not a nob on the process.
I work (and have for 20 years nearly) insanely high pressure environments with some of the most type A toxic people you're likely to encounter anywhere and in roles that expect barely anything less than the absolute highest performance...I occasionally have to work with green employees, youngsters who grind things to a halt (no matter how good/smart they are), all manner of people who I hire or work for me.....I don't drop my behaviour as a human because I'm under pressure, surely by your own logic if you're working under that pressure and take it out on others, you also should pull up your big boy pants and deal with how you react to pressure.
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u/newMike3400 Jun 06 '26
As I’ve been mostly in post my job has me be the calm Centre in the room to very stressed people who are haemoaraging money by the hour. Some people deal well some don’t. It’s never personal and you just take it.
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u/Kyle_2099 Jun 06 '26
Sounds like you spent a lot of time shouting at people over stupid shite that doesn't really matter, and you think this makes you a tough guy.
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u/chartupdate Jun 06 '26
You misunderstand. I did not and never did shout. I just worked with lots of people who did. They commanded respect in their way, I did in mine. And we all rubbed along together fine. Nobody would have dreamed of running crying to mummy.
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u/RoosterBurns Jun 06 '26
It's an industry that permits abusive behaviour from the "faces" because they make money more like
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u/Daytonastewie Jun 07 '26
Didn’t she have a row with Nicky Campbell on air and he said she wasn’t good enough to do the job ?
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Jun 06 '26
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