Culture Secretary responds to Tim Davie resignation - just hours after saying she had full confidence

Mr Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness both resigned on Sunday evening following criticism that a BBC Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by US President Donald Trump.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport shared a message on X thanking the Director-General for his work over the years.

Ms Nandy said: "I want to thank Tim Davie for his service to public broadcasting over many years.

"He has led the BBC through a period of significant change and helped the organisation to grip the challenges it has faced in recent years.

"The BBC is one of our most important national institutions. Every day, it tells the story of who we are - the people, places and communities that make up life across the UK."

Read more: Full timeline of recent BBC controversies after Tim Davie resigns as director general

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She continued: "Now more than ever, the need for trusted news and high quality programming is essential to our democratic and cultural life, and our place in the world.

"As a government, we will support the board as it manages this transition and ensure that the Charter Review is the catalyst that helps the BBC to adapt to this new era and secures its role at the heart of national life for decades to come."

Her comments come just hours after she told LBC's Sunday with Lewis Goodall that she has confidence in Mr Davie and BBC Chairman Samir Shah, and believes they are "treating this with the utmost seriousness".

Ms Nandy refused to comment on whether they should remain in their roles, stating that it isn't up to her as Culture Secretary "to determine who is and isn't employed at the BBC".

Asked by Lewis whether she believed the BBC needed to change its governance, she replied: "I think the BBC needs to strengthen its processes and I think it needs a clear and consistent way of approaching some of the most difficult and contested issues that we discuss as a country."

She added: "The BBC is rightly independent of government, but it is my role to make sure that we're upholding the higher standards. And as licensed fee payers, people can trust what they see on the BBC.

"And that's why I've had had these countless conversations and at times been quite tough with the BBC where they're falling short of those standards.

"I will continue to do so on behalf of licensed fee payers and on behalf of Parliament."