BBC 'deeply offended the leader of the free world,' Farage tells LBC

Mr Farage told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that he has spoken to Mr Trump, who is angry about the 'doctoring' of a speech he gave on January 6, 2020.

It comes after the BBC Director-General Tim Davie and the CEO of News Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday after a leaked internal memo said an edition of Panorama broadcast last October spliced together two sections of President Trump's speech to give a misleading impression of what he actually said.

The damning 19-page dossier said the Panorama episode “completely misled” viewers by showing the President telling his supporters he was going to the Capitol building with them to "fight like hell".

The President said he was going to walk with his supporters "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard."

Read more: MPs call for 'wholesale changes' at BBC after Director-General quits over 'doctored' Trump speech

Read more: Trump hits out at 'dishonest' BBC as Director-General resigns over 'doctored' speech

Mr Farage told LBC that the BBC has "deeply offended the leader of the free world, an absolutely crucial ally, whether you like Trump or not, a crucial ally to this country, without whom we are effectively defenceless."

"I did speak to Donald Trump on Friday and to say that he was angry would be an understatement. As he said, 'I thought you guys were allies and this was a state broadcaster'. Absolutely appalling."

He added that this was the "final straw" for Mr Trump, who has been critical of the BBC in the past, and that the BBC has attempted "to interfere in a presidential election" by editing the footage.

"He was absolutely enraged that the BBC had done this to him," said Mr Farage.

"Everyone talks about Russia meddling in elections. We hear that year after year after year.

"Well, what about the BBC, their attempt to interfere in a presidential election just weeks before the vote? That's the point that really stuck in the craw."

Mr Trump shared his criticism of the news on Truth Social where he said: "The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught 'doctoring' my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th.

"These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!"

The Reform UK leader added that the BBC will "go into a state of complete collapse" unless it changes things very quickly.

Mr Farage suggested getting rid of the licence fee in its current form, slimming down the broadcaster, as "the current model is wholly unsustainable."

He slammed the "woke agenda" that runs through "every cultural programme" as well as the "political biases that we see running throughout the BBC."

"I've watched it for decades, whether it was their coverage of the European Union, their coverage of immigration, their coverage of climate change, their swallowing hook, line and sinker, Hamas propaganda coming out of Gaza and the woke agenda that runs through not just news, but every cultural programme as well.

"So, you have to conclude that the BBC has been, not just run, but staffed by the wrong people for way, way too long."