The BBC has apologised to PinkNews founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James, and paid them substantial compensation over allegations of sexual misconduct that it has accepted were false and defamatory.
The admission was made at the High Court in relation to the 2024 iPlayer documentary “PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors”. The programme made a series of serious claims about Cohen and James, who are behind the LGBTQ+ news website PinkNews.
In its court statement, the broadcaster accepted that the allegations were defamatory. The settlement includes an apology as well as compensation, according to reporting by The Guardian.
The case places renewed attention on editorial standards and legal accountability for public-service broadcasters when reporting allegations involving prominent media figures. The BBC’s concession brings the dispute over the documentary’s claims to a formal close.