The BBC has withdrawn allegations levelled at the publishers of British LGBTQIA+ website PinkNews and issued an unreserved apology.
In the British High Court, the BBC retracted and apologised for claims it had published about PinkNews founder and CEO Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James, who serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer.
In December 2024, the broadcaster aired the documentary PinkNews: Behind Closed Door and published several accompanying news articles. The reports included allegations of sexual misconduct and claims of a troubling workplace culture at the publication.
At the time, the BBC said it had spoken to more than 30 current and former staff members who described a workplace culture involving heavy drinking and alleged inappropriate behaviour by Cohen and James.
The exposé also included claims from staff members who alleged bullying and misconduct had left some employees feeling unsafe. Others claimed the couple had asked female staff members to consider becoming surrogates for them.
Cohen and James immediately denied the allegations. When the matter came before the court this week, the BBC announced it would not contest the defamation claim.
Jane Phillips, counsel for the BBC, told the court:
“The BBC retracts and apologises unreservedly for the defamatory allegations made in the programme and the article.”
The BBC has agreed to pay compensation to the couple, who intend to donate the funds to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Bedfordshire Hospitals Charity. James, a former GP, was stood down from the hospital’s board after the allegations were first aired.
In a statement released after the apology was made in court, the couple said the BBC had “ignored warnings about the veracity of these allegations and chose to broadcast false claims to millions of people”.
Cohen and James said the impact extended well beyond their professional reputations. At the time the allegations were broadcast, their son was just six months old.
“What should have been one of the happiest periods of our lives was instead thrown into chaos, impacting our business, our colleagues and our family.”
The court heard that, following the broadcast, the couple were subjected to additional checks by social workers assessing their suitability as parents, causing significant stress and anxiety.
The couple said the allegations were particularly painful as gay men because, in their view, “the BBC reinforced one of the most damaging homophobic tropes: that gay men are sexual predators who pose a threat to others”.
“These were allegations that should never have been broadcast,” they said.
They also called on the BBC to examine the editorial processes and decision-making that led to the allegations being published.
