Why does BBC board’s Robbie Gibb keep getting criticised?
This Is Why
Sky News
4.0 • 552 Ratings
🗓️ 14 November 2025
⏱️ 14 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Who is Sir Robbie Gibb and is he the most influential figure at the BBC?
In a week marred by controversy, the organisation has seen the departure of two senior figures and has made an apology to the US president over an edited clip of a speech to his followers on 6 January.
There are rumours that the BBC's director general and chief executive were brought down as part of an "inside job" centred around one man – Sir Robbie – a non-executive director at the BBC.
However, a friend of Sir Robbie has hit back at such suggestions, describing them to Deadline as "absolute nonsense".
In this episode, Niall is joined by Jake Kanter, the international investigations editor at Deadline to discuss Mr Gibb’s role at the BBC and why it is seen as controversial.
Producer: Tom Gillespie & Natalie Ktena
Editor: Philly Beaumont
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Coming up, he's the broadcast journalist turned conservative spin doctor who now sits on the BBC board. |
| 0:07.0 | He's also been blamed for the resignations of the Director General and Head of News. |
| 0:11.7 | So who is Robbie Gibb? |
| 0:14.3 | Right, who's all in for Cancer Research UK's Race for Life? |
| 0:17.9 | Sunday leaguers! Dog lovers, bait clubbers, bangor dances, baby ravers, potters. |
| 0:24.4 | Whether you walk it, jog it or run it, go all in against cancer, all in to help fun life-saving research. |
| 0:31.2 | Join our London events throughout the summer. Sign up now from just £14.99. |
| 0:37.0 | Visit racefor-life.org. Prices vary by event distance and participant age. |
| 0:44.3 | For unlimited all-day travel in London, think TFL. With the daily cap fair frozen until March 2027, travel as much as you like on tube, bus, Elizabeth line, DLR and Overground. |
| 0:57.8 | Knowing you'll never pay any more than £8.90 in Zones 1 and 2. |
| 1:02.6 | Download TFL Go to plan your journey. |
| 1:05.2 | To the Mayor of London and TFL, every journey matters. |
| 1:08.8 | Always use the same card of device when touching in and out |
| 1:11.0 | for full terms and conditions such TFL fare capping. |
| 1:16.0 | Do you trust the BBC? |
| 1:18.2 | While we certainly know the President of the United States has his issues, |
| 1:21.9 | he also now has an apology. |
| 1:24.0 | The BBC prostrating itself in the face of a billion-dollar lawsuit after it admitted it got it wrong in a panorama report around the Capitol Hill riots. |
| 1:33.3 | The Director General, Tim Davy and CEO of News, Deborah Turner S.R. |
| 1:37.3 | Already seeking other opportunities. So you might think that was the end of the matter. |
| 1:42.3 | Not a chance, because in the wake of their departure, fingers have been pointed, |
| 1:47.5 | unpointed at Robbie Gibb. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Sky News, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Sky News and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.