The BBC has issued a full apology and agreed to pay substantial compensation to Benjamin Cohen and Anthony James, the couple behind the PinkNews website, after admitting that a 2024 iPlayer documentary and an accompanying news article contained false and defamatory allegations of sexual misconduct.
In a sweeping admission at the high court, the BBC accepted that the documentary, titled PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, and the article had made "a series of very serious, false, and defamatory allegations." Specifically, the corporation conceded that the claims of inappropriate pressure on young female staff to act as surrogates were "false and extremely harmful."
The allegations, which were widely reported by other media outlets and across social media, led to significant reputational damage for Cohen and James. Downing Street had described the claims as "very concerning." The couple also faced investigations by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) in relation to their son, who was born via a surrogate. Cohen resigned as a trustee of a global disability charity, and James stepped down as an associate non-executive director on the board of Bedfordshire hospitals NHS foundation trust.
Cohen and James stated that the BBC had ignored warnings about the veracity of the allegations before broadcasting them to millions. They described the period as chaotic, impacting their business, colleagues, and family, with their greatest fear being for their son's future and what he might read online. The couple are donating the compensation received to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity. The BBC confirmed a settlement has been reached and will not issue further comment.