EXCLUSIVE: A BBC board member described Donald Trump as a “howling idiot” in social media posts before she joined the British broadcaster.
Muriel Grayformer presenter of Channel 4's 1980s anarchic music show. Tuberepeatedly criticized the US President on X/Twitter for five years before being appointed to the BBC board in January 2022.
Despite their historicity, Gray's comments are notable given that the focus is on the board's handling of the BBC's botched editing of Trump's January 6 speech, which ultimately led to the shock resignations of Tim Davey, the director-general, and head of news Deborah Turness.
In a post a few weeks after Joe Biden won the 2020 election, Gray wrote: “Anyone notice the glorious absence of daily horror stories about Trump, now that he's just a howling idiot screaming into the abyss? It's like when a toothache stops.”
In other messages during Trump's first term, she called him “useless” and in 2019 joked that Melania Trump was a “supervillain.”
Tweet by Muriel Gray
In a June 2020 post, Gray bemoaned the MAGA movement: “Given all the nuances and complexities of civil wars over the centuries, Trump has achieved something unique. He appears to have ignited one of the irreparably thick MAGA Americans verses.” [sic] the rest of their country.”
Ahead of the 2016 election, she said: “If you look in the mirror on a full moon and chant 'Trump is the candidate for president' three times, nothing will happen. The world is still crazy.”
The BBC board's political views have come under scrutiny in recent days. BBC insiders, television union Bectu and lawmakers – not least Lib Dem leader Ed Davey – have called for another board member, Robbie Gibb, to be removed amid allegations that he engineered a Conservative coup at the corporation. People close to Gibb, Theresa May's former communications secretary, denied the allegations.
Gray's jibes at Trump show that other BBC board members have also expressed strong political views in the past. BBC Chairman Samir Shah pointed this out in comments to staff this weekin which he stated that his board members could not be accused of “groupthink.”
In October the council was warned about Panorama Trump's edit that combined two parts of his Capitol speech to make it seem like he was inciting violence. The issue was raised in a note by Michael Prescott, a former adviser to the BBC's editorial standards committee. His note was leaked to Daily Telegraph last week.
Board discussions contributed to the BBC's delay in responding to Trump's mistake. Shah apologized for Panorama edit on Monday and then repeated the apology in a personal letter to the White House on Thursday after the US president threatened a $1 billion lawsuit.
Muriel Gray
Despite her remarks on social media, the source said Gray raised concerns about Trump's redaction and other issues contained in Prescott's memo, and she is said to have been one of the “strongest voices” in board discussions over the past two weeks.
Gray's term on the BBC board was extended until January 2030 just last month. She is one of five non-executive directors appointed by Gray's board nominating committee, meaning she has a say when new members join.
BBC insiders claim a lack of editorial experience on the board may have contributed to the paralysis of the Prescott memo. There is a view that the BBC did not help itself by refusing to replace Charlotte Moore on the board after she resigned as chief content officer in the summer.
In August, Deadline noted that a board seat was up for grabs.however, Kate Phillips, who replaced Moore, was not promoted. The head of news at Turness will also need to be replaced, meaning the BBC only fills half of the four seats reserved for executives. Davy has one, and the second member of the BBC executive board is chief operating officer Lee Tawaziwa.
Gibb is one of five political appointments (including chairman) and was appointed by Boris Johnson's government in 2021. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said today that the Labor government will review political appointments to the board as part of an update to the BBC's charter. “There is a real concern, which I share, that political appointments to the BBC board have undermined confidence and trust in the BBC's impartiality,” she told Radio 4. Today show.
Gray, who is paid £33,000 ($43,000) by the BBC, has hosted British TV shows including Channel 4. Media show and ran the production company Gallus Besom. She was Chairman of the Glasgow School of Art and a Trustee of the British Museum.
Gray did not respond to requests for comment. A BBC spokesman said: “The Board oversees the mission and public purposes of the BBC and members must abide by the BBC Board's code of practice and act with integrity and in the public interest. The BBC Royal Charter sets out the terms on which Board members serve, as well as its duties, functions and composition.”
