BBC is required to pay damages to employers of world’s biggest LGBT news site over incorrect sexual misbehavior claims

Top stories BBC is required to pay damages to employers of world’s biggest LGBT news site over incorrect sexual misbehavior claims

By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER

Released: 15:43 EDT, 8 October 2026 | Upgraded: 15:57 EDT, 8 October 2026

The BBC has actually apologised and will pay damages to the heads of LGBT news website PinkNews after confessing ‘incorrect and defamatory’ accusations of sexual misbehavior.

A program contributed to iPlayer in December 2024 implicated Benjamin Cohen and his partner Anthony James, the website’s chief running officer, of sexual misbehavior towards junior personnel at the business.

At the High Court in London on Thursday, the BBC apologised for the program, entitled PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, accepting the claims were ‘major, incorrect and defamatory’ after the couple brought a libel claim.

The couple’s attorneys stated the corporation will pay payment to settle the legal action, which the set plans to contribute to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity.

The program is no longer offered on iPlayer.

The BBC likewise apologised for a post that made a more accusation that the couple had actually put ‘unsuitable pressure on young, female members of personnel to serve as surrogates for them’.

Checking out a joint declaration in between the couple and the BBC, the couple’s lawyer Lorna Skinner KC stated: ‘These claims were incorrect and very damaging to the complaintants’ track records.’

She stated that since of the program, the couple underwent extra examinations ahead of an adult order hearing in regard of their child who was born by surrogacy.

Ms Skinner stated: ‘This triggered the plaintiffs significant stress and anxiety and distress throughout a time when they should have actually had the ability to concentrate on their newborn kid.’

She stated that Mr Cohen had actually felt he required to resign as trustee of a special needs charity and Dr James resigned as a non-executive director of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust due to the fact that of the program.

Jane Phillips, representing the BBC, stated: ‘The BBC pulls back and apologises unreservedly for the defamatory accusations made in the program and the short article.’

In a declaration provided to journalism Association, the couple stated: ‘The BBC neglected cautions about the accuracy of these accusations and selected to transmit incorrect claims to countless individuals.

‘When this started, we were brand-new fathers and our boy was simply 6 months old. What must have been among the happiest durations of our lives was rather tossed into mayhem, affecting our service, our associates and our household.’

They stated: ‘By wrongly representing us as taking part in sexual misbehavior and pushing female staff members over surrogacy, the BBC strengthened among the most destructive homophobic tropes: that gay guys are sexual predators who position a danger to others.

‘It took minutes for these incorrect accusations to spread out around the world, however almost 2 years for the BBC to openly acknowledge that they were incorrect.

‘The BBC now owes licence charge payers a description of how such a major failure might have taken place and what it means to do to show that it stays suitable for function.’

The couple included: ‘Nothing can offer us back the time we have actually lost, nor reverse the effect this has actually had on our household. The record has actually now been set directly.

‘The claims were incorrect. The BBC has actually withdrawed them completely and apologised unreservedly. Today, we can lastly start to move on.

‘The BBC, however, requires to thoroughly think about and gain from the effect that its negligent journalism has actually had on a young household’s lives.’

The Daily Mail has actually called the BBC for remark.