In March, veteran entertainment agent Jonathan Shalit OBE reached out to the head of BBC News, Deborah Turness, over concerns about how the Corporation was reporting on the Gaza conflict.
Shalit, who runs InterTalent, one of the UK’s leading talent agencies, felt the coverage was biased, portraying Israel as the aggressor and failing to clearly identify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
In a carefully worded email, Shalit requested that Turness reflect on the reporting and consider a discussion to address impartiality concerns.
Turness Responds Only About Her Private Email
What followed was, according to sources, an unexpected and blunt reply from Turness.
Rather than address the substance of Shalit’s concerns, she focused solely on the fact he had used her personal email address.
“Dear Jonathan, Please can I ask that you use only my BBC News email (cc’d) and delete my private email? And please kindly do not share it with anyone.
Thank you, Deborah,” she wrote, apparently from her iPhone while on the move.
Shalit, reportedly dumbfounded by the response, didn’t push the matter further.
He simply confirmed he wouldn’t share the private email, noting that Turness had provided it to him herself years prior.
Colleagues Criticize Turness’ Approach
Friends and associates of Shalit described the response as dismissive and arrogant, suggesting it reflected a lack of understanding of the BBC’s culture and public responsibilities.
“She ignored the question and dismissed his very legitimate request for answers about impartiality,” said one source. “It was like she simply didn’t care.”
In contrast, Shalit praised Director General Tim Davie, noting that messages sent to him are always professional and transparent.
Other journalists have echoed this sentiment, saying direct contact with Davie often yields helpful responses when in-house press teams are obstructive.
Turness’ Career Highlights and Contrasts
Turness, 58, has a long history in commercial broadcasting, including ITV and NBC News.
She became CEO of ITN in 2021 before joining the BBC in 2022 with a reported £400,000 salary.
Some colleagues say she struggled to fully grasp the responsibility and culture unique to a public service broadcaster.
Her career has included more colorful moments, such as a 2010 Edinburgh Television Festival performance dressed as Lady Gaga while editor of ITV News — a display of charisma that left a lasting impression on industry insiders.
The Charismatic but Controversial Executive
Colleagues describe Turness as charming, clever, and a super-schmoozer, someone who enjoys attention and can dazzle a room.
Sources recall her leaving ITV News in 2013 amid lavish celebration at a Mayfair nightclub, attended by high-profile broadcasters and colleagues.
However, the same charm has drawn scrutiny when she steps into a public service environment where accountability is paramount.
From Protegee to Questioner
Adding a dramatic twist, Lucy Manning, a former junior reporter under Turness at ITV, recently confronted her at Broadcasting House, asking probing questions about her tenure.
Sources note the irony: the protégé was now holding the former mentor to account, highlighting the high stakes and public visibility of leadership at the BBC.
A Lesson in Public Accountability
The episode illustrates the tension between personal charm and professional responsibility, and how private email missteps can overshadow substantive concerns in high-profile media roles.
For Shalit, it was a stark reminder that even influential figures sometimes encounter walls when questioning the practices of major institutions.