BBC chairman Samir Shah faced MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee after two turbulent weeks inside the corporation — and while he survived the questioning, the crisis at the BBC is far from over.
Shah appeared nervous at the start of the hearing but soon settled as it became clear MPs were not preparing a “gladiatorial” confrontation. He was pressed twice on whether he should resign, insisting his responsibility now is “to steer the ship” and lead the search for a new director general.
Board member Caroline Thomson voiced unanimous support for Shah, though she did not reference the recent resignation of fellow board member Shumeet Banerji, who stepped down citing governance concerns. Shah pushed back, insisting he had consulted Banerji, referencing a 26-minute call between them.
Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage later said MPs remained unconvinced the BBC board is in “safe hands,” saying Shah failed to offer clarity on how the BBC will act “quicker and more decisively” in the future.
Despite the doubts, the BBC succeeded in presenting a united public front after weeks of reports of internal fractures and divisions between senior leadership and the board.
Was this a turning point — or just a pause in the BBC’s deepening governance crisis?
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