BBC apologizes to PinkNews founder over false misconduct allegations

The BBC has issued an unreserved apology and reached a settlement with PinkNews founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James, following defamatory allegations made in a 2024 documentary and news article.

The original reporting, including the documentary ‘PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors’, alleged that Cohen and James had permitted or engaged in sexual misconduct toward younger staff and pressured female employees to act as surrogates. In a joint statement presented to the High Court in London, the BBC retracted these claims, acknowledging they were “serious, false, defamatory… and extremely harmful to the claimants’ reputations.”

Cohen and James stated that the false reports caused significant personal distress and reinforced harmful homophobic tropes. The allegations also triggered investigations by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) regarding their parental rights. As part of the settlement, the BBC will pay undisclosed compensation, which the couple intends to donate to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity. The original BBC article has been removed from the broadcaster's website.