• 500 entertainment industry figures, including Gary Lineker, Riz Ahmed, and Ken Loach, have signed an open letter urging the BBC to “stop censorship on Palestine”
• The letter states that the BBC have been prioritising political pressure over journalistic integrity and silencing Palestinian voices.
Recent studies highlight a significant shift in news consumption, with more people turning to independent sources and social media over mainstream media news outlets such as the BBC. A 2024 Pew Research Centre report found that 54% of U.S. adults regularly consume news from social media, with Facebook and YouTube being the most popular platforms. Additionally, 18% of adults now prefer social media as their primary news source, a six-percentage-point increase from 2023, while 23% favour news websites or apps. Among younger demographics, this trend is even more pronounced—research illustrates that 71% of individuals aged 16 to 40 consume news daily from social media, engaging with an average of four different platforms each week.
These findings suggest that once-revered institutions such as the BBC are increasingly losing public trust and credibility. Traditional broadcasters are no longer seen as authoritative or possessing journalistic integrity, signalling a shift away from legacy media’s bias influence.
Nonetheless, 500 figures from the entertainment industry felt compelled to address the BBC’s failure to uphold ethical standards. Their open letter calls on the corporation to “stop censorship on Palestine” and was signed by Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, actors Riz Ahmed and Ken Loach, Top Boy creator Ronan Bennett, and Game of Thrones star Indira Varma.
The letter follows the BBC’s decision to remove How to Survive a Warzone from iPlayer after it was revealed that the documentary was narrated by the son of a Hamas minister—information the BBC claimed had not been disclosed by the producers. While the letter does not dispute the narrator’s familial connection, it clarifies that his father, Dr. Ayman Al-Yazouri, served as Gaza’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture—“a civil service role concerned with food production.”
“Conflating such governance roles in Gaza with terrorism is both factually incorrect and dehumanising,” the letter states. “This broad-brush rhetoric assumes that Palestinians holding administrative roles are inherently complicit in violence—a racist trope that denies individuals their humanity and right to share their lived experiences.”
Addressed to BBC Chair Samir Shah, Director General Tim Davie, and Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore, the letter—titled UK Media Industry to BBC: Stop Censorship on Palestine—has been signed by 500 industry professionals, including actors Khalid Abdalla, India Amarteifio, Miriam Margolyes, Ruth Negga, and Juliet Stevenson. It describes How to Survive a Warzone as “an essential piece of journalism, offering an all-too-rare perspective on the lived experiences of Palestinian children living in unimaginable circumstances, which amplifies voices so often silenced.”
The letter warns that calls to remove the documentary from iPlayer and social media “set a dangerous precedent.” “As media professionals, we are extremely alarmed by the intervention of political actors, including foreign diplomats, and what this means for the future of broadcasting in this country,” it continues. “If every documentary made in conflict zones were subjected to this level of politicised scrutiny regarding contributors, filmmaking in these areas would become virtually impossible.”
According to the letter, yielding to such pressure suggests that Palestinian children’s stories are only deemed valid if their families meet arbitrary “purity tests,” that “racialised smears against Palestinians outweigh journalistic ethics and public interest,” and that independent filmmakers risk being “scapegoated and censored for political purposes.”
Gary Lineker’s signature is particularly significant. As the BBC’s highest-paid presenter, he previously compared the UK government’s immigration policy to 1930s Germany, leading to a major internal dispute that resulted in revised social media guidelines for flagship content presenters. While these rules state that presenters are “free to express opinions about the issues that matter to you” but should not “take up an official role in campaigning groups,” Lineker is likely to argue that signing the letter falls within these parameters.
Twelve BBC employees signed the letter anonymously, and it was partially coordinated by The Britain Palestine Media Centre.
The BBC has already announced that Lineker will step down from Match of the Day at the end of the current Premier League season, though he will continue presenting for the network until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including FA Cup coverage.
The BBC Board is set to meet on Thursday, with How to Survive a Warzone reportedly on the agenda.
The letter presented to the BBC reads as follows:
‘Gaza: How to Survive A War Zone‘ Letter In Full Dear Samir Shah, Tim Davie and Charlotte Moore, We are UK-based film & TV professionals and journalists writing in support of the BBC documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, which aired on February 17 on BBC TWO and was subsequently made available on iPlayer. This film is an essential piece of journalism, offering an all-too-rare perspective on the lived experiences of Palestinian children living in unimaginable circumstances, which amplifies voices so often silenced. It deserves recognition, not politically motivated censorship. Racist Assumptions & Weaponisation of Identity A campaign has sought to discredit the documentary using the father of 14-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri, one of the film’s child protagonists. Dr Ayman Al-Yazouri served as Gaza’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, a civil service role concerned with food production. Conflating such governance roles in Gaza with terrorism is both factually incorrect and dehumanising. This broad-brush rhetoric assumes that Palestinians holding administrative roles are inherently complicit in violence—a racist trope that denies individuals their humanity and right to share their lived experiences. As industry professionals who craft stories for the British public, including for the BBC, we condemn the weaponisation of a child’s identity and the racist insinuation that Palestinian narratives must be scrutinised through a lens of suspicion. We urge you to reject these tactics, protect vulnerable voices, and reaffirm your commitment to stories that hold power to account. Our screens and our society depend on it. Child Safeguarding & Ethical Standards The letters of complaint disregard core safeguarding principles by demanding intrusive scrutiny of Abdullah’s background. Children must not be held responsible for the actions of adults, and weaponising family associations to discredit a child’s testimony is both unethical and dangerous. The BBC’s duty of care to Abdullah, and all minors in conflict zones, must prioritise their safety, privacy, and dignity. Publishing unverified claims about his family risks exposing him to harassment or harm, in direct violation of the BBC’s International Safeguarding Policy. Beneath this political football are children who are in the most dire circumstances of their young lives. This is what must remain at the heart of this discussion. As programme-makers, we are extremely alarmed by the intervention of partisan political actors on this issue, and what this means for the future of broadcasting in this country. The BBC’s Responsibility We call on you to reject attempts to have the documentary permanently removed or subjected to undue disavowals. Capitulating to such attempts to block its reinstatement on iPlayer would signal that: Palestinian children’s stories are only valid if their families pass arbitrary “purity tests.” Racialised smears against Palestinians outweigh journalistic ethics and public interest. Independent filmmakers can be scapegoated and censored for political purposes. The BBC is ultimately responsible for ensuring its programming meets editorial and compliance standards. Jamie Roberts and Yousef Hammash, of Hoyo Films, are experienced journalistic filmmakers who prioritised the safety of their contributors and production team. Censorship & Intimidation Calls to remove the documentary from iPlayer and social media set a dangerous precedent. As media professionals, we are extremely alarmed by the intervention of political actors, including foreign diplomats, and what this means for the future of broadcasting in this country. If every documentary made in conflict zones were subjected to this level of politicised scrutiny regarding contributors, filmmaking in these areas would become virtually impossible. Silencing a child’s firsthand account of survival in Gaza, where over 13,000 children have been killed since October 2023, is not about compliance but about erasing Palestinian suffering. The BBC must resist political pressure aimed at suppressing narratives that humanise Palestinians. A broadcaster cannot allow bad-faith attacks to dictate its editorial decisions. Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone is an important, well-executed documentary that license-fee payers have the right to watch. The BBC should stand by it with confidence. Yours sincerely,
