Michael Prescott’s leaked memo raising concerns over BBC impartiality has brought down two of its top bosses.
US President Donald Trump has swiftly weighed in to brand the corporation “corrupt” and “dishonest”.
With the BBC now in crisis, who is the man who started it all?
Michael Prescott
An ex-journalist, Michael Prescott was an independent adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board for three years before leaving in June.
Studying at Oxford, he worked for 17 years as a journalist, with a decade spent working at the Sunday Times, initially as chief political correspondent before rising to political editor.
No stranger to showbiz, he has previously advised high-net-worth individuals and Hollywood stars on sensitive disputes and had a regular spot on Michael Parkinson’s weekly Radio 2 show, Parkinson’s Sunday Supplement, giving the newspaper review.
BBC chairman expected to apologise to MPs – follow latest
Mr Prescott has also worked in a series of corporate advisory roles – as corporate affairs director for BT, where he helped launch BT Sport and was part of the telecoms company’s merger with EE.
Ahead of that, he was managing director of corporate communications and public affairs at global PR company Weber Shandwick, where he advised organisations including Virgin Media, Balfour Beatty, British Nuclear Fuels, MasterCard, IKEA, air traffic control body NATS and numerous universities.
He currently holds roles at Hanover Communications, an international communications and PR agency.
