The BBC is under fire for attempting to include a controversial clause in the contract for Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a powerful documentary exposing the harrowing conditions inside Gaza’s hospitals during the ongoing conflict, according to Deadline exclusive report. The film, which the BBC ultimately declined to air, premiered this week on Channel 4 to critical acclaim and drew more than 300,000 viewers.
Produced by Basement Films and journalist Ben de Pear, the documentary had initially been commissioned by the BBC. However, the broadcaster backed away, citing concerns that “broadcasting this material risked creating a perception of partiality.” That decision has now escalated into a deeper controversy after it emerged that the BBC sought to include a clause preventing de Pear and third parties from publicly criticizing the BBC or implying that the film had its endorsement.
According to documents seen by Deadline, the clause would have barred the producer from making any “disparaging” remarks about the BBC and from suggesting that the final version of the film “was authorised or approved by the BBC, or would not be broadcast or published by the BBC.” It also required BBC approval for any press releases or public statements regarding the documentary.
De Pear, a former Channel 4 News editor, rejected what he called a “double gagging clause,” publicly stating on LinkedIn. He said, “Not only could we have been sued for saying the BBC refused to air the film (palpably and provably true) but also if any other company had said it, the BBC could sue us,” he wrote. “Not only could we not tell the truth that was already stated, but neither could others… Reader, I didn’t sign it, and I spoke the truth at Sheffield, and I felt better. If you work at the BBC you should try it, if you can.”
As per the report, a BBC source denied any intent to silence the producer, claiming the clause was about managing publicity and ensuring that the documentary wasn’t marketed as a BBC production since it hadn’t passed the corporation’s editorial checks.
The clause’s revelation has drawn sharp criticism, particularly in the wake of de Pear’s public remarks at the Sheffield DocFest, where he accused BBC Director General Tim Davie of turning the organization into “just a PR person” driven more by politics than journalism. “The BBC currently have a third [pillar]; politics, and they comply from that first and foremost, and it is ruining them,” de Pear said.
The controversy comes as the BBC faces scrutiny over other Gaza-related programming. A separate documentary, How to Survive a Warzone, is currently under internal review after it was revealed to include the son of a Hamas minister.
Meanwhile, former footballer and BBC presenter Gary Lineker has added to the criticism, saying the broadcaster should “hold its head in shame” for not airing Gaza: Doctors Under Attack.
Despite the setbacks, the documentary has found a receptive audience at Channel 4. Co-producer Jessica Shi previously described the film’s intent as a humanising act, said, “We wanted to tell a story that not only addresses gender, labor, and migration but also asks what it means to live a life marked by numbers, not names.”
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