BBC pays damages to PinkNews couple over false misconduct claims

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 21:07 · Archive

The BBC has apologised and paid compensation after admitting allegations of sexual misconduct against PinkNews founders Benjamin Cohen and Anthony James were false and defamatory.

The BBC has apologised and paid substantial compensation to Benjamin Cohen and Anthony James, the founders of the LGBT news website PinkNews, after admitting that a 2024 iPlayer documentary and accompanying news article contained false and defamatory allegations of sexual misconduct.

The documentary, titled PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, was added to iPlayer in December 2024. The BBC accepted at the high court that it had made 'a series of very serious, false, and defamatory allegations' and that an accompanying article had made 'false and extremely harmful' allegations that the couple had placed inappropriate pressure on young female staff members to act as surrogates for them.

The allegations were widely reported by other national media outlets and across social media. They prompted investigations by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service ahead of a parental order hearing concerning the couple's son, who was born by surrogacy. Cohen resigned as a trustee of a global disability charity, and James resigned as an associate non-executive director on the board of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The couple intend to donate the compensation to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity. The documentary is no longer available on iPlayer.

How it is being reported

• BBC is forced to pay damages to bosses of world's largest LGBT news website over false sexual misconduct allegationsA programme added to iPlayer in December 2024 accused Benjamin Cohen and his husband Anthony James, the site's chief operating officer, of sexual misconduct towards junior staff at the company.Daily Mail · 8 Oct, 20:46
• BBC pays compensation to PinkNews couple over false sexual misconduct allegationsBroadcaster apologises after admitting claims against Benjamin Cohen and Anthony James were defamatory The BBC has apologised and paid “substantial” compensation to the couple behind the PinkNews website, after conceding that stories accusing them of sexual misconduct were false and defamatory. In a sweeping admission, the BBC accepted at the high court that a 2024 iPlayer documentary about the PinkNews founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James, called PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, had made “a series of very serious, false, and defamatory allegations”. Continue reading...The Guardian · 8 Oct, 16:23

In this story: Benjamin Cohen · Anthony James · PinkNews · BBC · Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

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