BBC investigates 5 employees for sexual harassment amid zero-tolerance approach to misconduct

The BBC has been investigating five employees accused of sexual harassment, as the corporation aims to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct, it has been reported.

The national broadcaster has faced scrutiny in recent years following high-profile headlines about well-known personalities alleged to have behaved inappropriately.

Deadline submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request to enquire into active and closed cases of misconduct in recent years, finding that as of the end of March 2026, a total of nine were ongoing.

Of that number, five were said to be related to sexual harassment allegations, while four others were tied to other forms of harassment and bullying accusations.

In its past financial year, the number of disciplinary cases raised at the corporation (27), and the sexual harassment allegations specifically (11), represent a slight uptick from the previous two.

In 2024/25, the figure was 26 total cases (five of which were sexual harassment allegations) and, in the year before that, there were 19 complaints raised (nine of which were related to sexual harassment claims).

Another notable detail of these figures is the insight they offer into how cases have typically been resolved, with the most common outcome of the past three years being that sanctions are applied to the perpetrator.

This occurred in 43 out of 72 cases (just shy of 60 per cent of the time), with dismissal of the accused individual being a more unusual course of action, occurring in eight of those investigations (11 per cent).

In light of these FOI-produced figures, a BBC spokesperson told Radio Times: “We take all forms of bullying, harassment and misconduct incredibly seriously.

“If a case is upheld, there are a range of potential sanctions available, including dismissal, which are considered on a case-by-case basis in line with our policies.”

An April 2025 review of the workplace culture at the BBC, which consulted approximately 2,500 staff members, found that the organisation “does not have a toxic culture” and had improved over the past decade.

It highlighted areas that needed improvement too, with the BBC launching a refreshed code of conduct, implementing a more robust disciplinary policy and rolling out a new campaign to challenge poor conduct.

The review stated: “Most people who work for the BBC are proud to do so and describe loving their jobs… People value their peers and their immediate line manager, and we heard of good leaders who create a positive working culture, showing the value of senior leadership development.

“We also, though, heard about a minority of people who behave unacceptably and whose behaviour is not addressed and impacts employees and freelancers.

“These people work in both on and off-air roles, dotted across the organisation in different functions and departments. They are often in positions where power could be abused. Even though they are small in number, their behaviour creates large ripples which negatively impact the BBC’s culture and external reputation.”

At the time of the report’s release, BBC Chair Dr Samir Shah responded: “It’s quite simple: if you are a person who is prepared to abuse power or punch down or behave badly, there is no place for you at the BBC.”