Victoria Derbyshire, the presenter of the BBC’s Newsnight, was subjected to a workplace conduct investigation following multiple complaints from colleagues, it has been reported.
The Bafta-winning journalist allegedly faced scrutiny after the corporation’s 2025 workplace culture review, which urged staff to report alleged misconduct, although it is believed the complaints were not upheld.
Sources claim the 57-year-old was accused of causing discomfort among off-air colleagues through her manner and choice of words.
Ms Derbyshire is understood to have firmly rejected any suggestion that her behaviour constituted bullying. GB News has contacted Ms Derbyshire’s representatives.
A BBC spokesperson told GB News: “While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values.”
The BBC’s investigation is not believed to have upheld any allegations of bullying against the presenter.
Ms Derbyshire is said to have acknowledged that she can be forthright and demanding when working under the pressures typical of a newsroom environment.
One ally described her approach to Deadline: “She’s very exacting. Nobody likes to be criticised, but if you’ve done s**t work, Victoria will call you out on it.”
A PwC consultant seconded to the BBC’s human resources team reportedly conducted interviews with those who raised concerns.
Complainants were informed in March that their issues had been heard and examined, though they were not told whether their specific complaints had been upheld, leaving some reportedly dissatisfied with the process.
Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, and Kirsty Wark, who previously co-presented Newsnight alongside Derbyshire, are believed to be among those who raised concerns about the presenter’s conduct.
The investigation is said to have come in the wake of the BBC’s 2025 workplace culture review, which was launched specifically to tackle systemic problems following high-profile scandals involving former newsreader Huw Edwards and television presenter Gregg Wallace.
A source familiar with the process suggested to Deadline the investigation’s conclusion fell short of the culture review’s recommendations, which called for greater transparency around complaint outcomes to restore confidence in how the corporation handles such matters.
However, another individual told the Times that the investigation was handled robustly.
Ms Derbyshire has built a distinguished three-decade career at the BBC, beginning in radio before transitioning to television work across programmes including Watchdog, Panorama, and the BBC News Channel.
The presenter, who earns up to £280,000 annually, hosted the award-winning Ukrainecast podcast following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Her recent journalism includes securing a UK exclusive interview with rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot in February, and a Newsnight special in March featuring five women who suffered sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein.
Ms Derbyshire previously fronted her own eponymous current affairs programme for five years until it was axed in 2020 due to budget constraints.
