The BBC is once again at the centre of controversy — this time not for its reporting, but for how much money it’s been spending behind the scenes.
According to a new report, the broadcaster has splashed out a staggering £18 million on trains, taxis, and hotel stays in just three years.
The revelation, which raised eyebrows across Westminster, has sparked a heated debate about how licence fee payers’ money is being used — and whether the public-funded organisation has lost touch with financial reality.
Politicians React to the Eye-Watering Bill
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch didn’t mince words when she heard the figures.
“I’m not sure how they’ve managed to spend so much,” she said, calling the sum “astonishing” at a time when taxpayers across the country are tightening their belts.
The £18 million total, unearthed through an LBC investigation, equates to around 100,000 TV licence fees — and marks a 30 percent rise in travel and accommodation spending since 2022.
More than half of that total reportedly went on taxi fares.
In one case, a 15-mile trip from Ruislip to central London cost the corporation £288, while another journey from Salford to Oxford came in at an eye-popping £484.
BBC Defends Rising Travel Costs
In response, a BBC spokesperson said that as a 24-hour global media organisation, travel costs are simply unavoidable.
“Rising prices across travel and accommodation have hit many industries,” the spokesperson explained, noting that inflation has made everything from fuel to hotel bookings more expensive.
They added that the corporation remains mindful of how funds are spent and that policies are in place to ensure costs are “proportionate and appropriate.”
But the explanation hasn’t silenced critics who argue that the BBC — funded by the British public — should be setting an example of restraint, not excess.
New Scandal Over Bias and “Leaked” Impartiality Report
The financial controversy comes at a turbulent time for the broadcaster.
BBC bosses are also under pressure following claims that the corporation mishandled an internal report on impartiality — one that accuses staff of spreading “Hamas lies around the world” and showing bias in coverage of the Gaza conflict.
The confidential document, reportedly sent to BBC Director-General Tim Davie and Chairman Samir Shah, suggests that the network downplayed Israeli suffering while portraying Israel as the aggressor.
It also alleged that some BBC Arabic journalists with histories of antisemitic remarks were given prominent platforms.
Badenoch Calls for Accountability at the Top
Kemi Badenoch said the findings were “deeply troubling” and argued that “heads should roll” at the top of the organisation.
Pressure is now building on Tim Davie to resign, with one former senior BBC executive claiming this was “three scandals too many” for the current leadership.
In response, the BBC declined to comment directly on the leaked report but said that it always takes feedback seriously.
“Where mistakes have been made, we’ve acknowledged them and taken corrective action,” a spokesperson said, adding that some contributors who should not have appeared on air have since been dropped.
White House Joins the Criticism After Trump Editing Claim
As if the controversy weren’t enough, the BBC is now facing backlash from the White House over claims that it doctored footage of Donald Trump’s January 6 speech.
Michael Prescott, who served as an independent adviser to the BBC until last year, reportedly submitted a 19-page dossier accusing the corporation of bias and deceptive editing.
The report alleged that a Panorama episode broadcast before the U.S. election misrepresented Trump’s remarks — showing him telling supporters to “fight like hell,” when he had actually urged them to protest “peacefully and patriotically.”
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson slammed the BBC, saying, “Trust in the media is at an all-time low because of deceptive editing, misleading reporting, and outright lies.”
BBC Responds to the Allegations
The broadcaster has since defended its record, insisting that debates about editorial decisions are common within its board committees.
“Michael Prescott is a former adviser where differing views and opinions of our coverage are routinely discussed and debated,” the BBC said in a statement.
Despite the defence, the fallout has been severe — with questions now swirling about whether the BBC can still claim to be the world’s “most trusted broadcaster” amid growing accusations of bias, waste, and mismanagement.