Victoria Derbyshire has been ‘reprimanded by BBC bosses’ after an investigation into bullying allegations on Newsnight, despite none being upheld.
The complaints are reported to have come after the completion of the BBC’s 2025 workplace culture review, which encouraged staff to call out alleged misconduct.
An investigation was launched in Autumn last year by the corporation’s support at work team, looking into the BBC Two programme.
Senior members of staff are said to have reviewed claims of unprofessional behaviour that the production team and presenters had either witnessed or been subject to.
The Times reported that former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark and BBC’s former chief content officer Charlotte Moore both raised concerns about Derbyshire’s behaviour, on behalf of more junior staff.
It is understood that Derbyshire, 57, denied all allegations made against the her. None were upheld.
As reported by the publication, bosses at the BBC are said to still have reprimanded the host for her behaviour.
Deadline also revealed that a source accused Derbyshire of making off-air colleagues uncomfortable with her language and tone – a claim that the presenter is said to have rejected.
It stated the BBC presenter accepted she can be exacting and direct under the pressure of a newsroom environment.
She is understood to have strongly denied any characterisation of her behaviour as bullying.
According to The Times, a senior individual with knowledge of the process said: ‘The line has now been drawn… It has all been dealt with.’
It also reported that an ally of Derbyshire’s praised her highly, calling her a journalist with ‘exacting standards’ who is ‘direct’ but ‘a really important part of Newsnight.’
A BBC presenter told the news outlet: ‘Depending on your attitude you either think she is somebody who has really high expectations because she wants the programme to be the best, or you think it is too much and that she shouldn’t behave like that.’
Derbyshire won a Bafta in 2017 for her journalism on the sexual abuse suffered by former footballers, and was praised for her reporting through a breast cancer diagnosis as she tried to demystify the process.
Recently, she secured a UK exclusive interview with Gisèle Pelicot, sitting down with the rape survivor for a 30 minute conversation.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘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.’
Metro has contacted Victoria Derbyshire, Kirsty Wark and Charlotte Moore for comment.
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