Notable entertainment and business leaders from around the globe including Ozzy Osbourne, Debra Messing, Mayim Bialik, Sharon Osbourne, Leo Pearlman, Danny Cohen, Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, Raye Cosbert, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Neil Blair, Lyor Cohen, Brian Message amongst many others, call for the establishment of a full independent commission of inquiry into BBC
LONDON, March 6, 2025 — More than 200 leaders from the entertainment and business industries signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organization Creative Community For Peace (CCFP) calling for a full investigation into the BBC’s bias against Israel.
The letter comes in response to the airing of the documentary, “Gaza: How to Survive in a Warzone.” The BBC acknowledged the serious journalistic failings in their presentation of the documentary. Not only did they platform Hamas propaganda, but they also used British tax dollars to pay the family of a Senior Hamas official.
Partner at The Blair Partnership Neil Blair said: “This is the latest in a long line of misreporting the Middle East and sugarcoating Hamas and it shatters public trust in the BBC. The BBC has its own rules to follow, as well as the law of the land, and its approach to both has been cavalier at best. Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg and there needs to be a thorough, independent and transparent investigation process so the BBC can get its house in order and restore public confidence in its output.”
Since October 7th, the British Jewish community has consistently criticized the BBC’s coverage of Israel.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism and provides security for Jewish communities in Britain, accused the BBC as being “institutionally hostile to Israel.” The recent airing of “Gaza: How to Survive in a Warzone” substantiates the ongoing critiques of the British Jewish community.
Co-CEO of Fulwell Entertainment Leo Pearlman said: “As antisemitism explodes across the globe, the spread of misinformation is not just irresponsible, it’s dangerous. When major trusted media outlets like the BBC amplify biased narratives and allow propaganda to be broadcast as truth, it fuels anti-Israel sentiment, emboldens extremists, and puts Jewish communities around the world at risk. Accurate, responsible journalism is not just an ethical obligation; it’s a matter of safety.”
The letter highlights the gravity of the moment for BBC, “This is a true crisis for the broadcaster, which it is treating as a minor inconvenience whilst its highest paid presenter is allowed to openly deny there is an issue at all.”
CCFP Executive Director Ari Ingel said, “At a time when accuracy and responsible reporting are more critical than ever, media outlets must uphold the highest standards, not serve as a megaphone for terrorist organizations. This is even more important when the media outlet is a public service broadcaster. So far, BBC’s public response does not reflect the seriousness of their mistakes. They not only failed to inform the public but misled them with Hamas-sanctioned propaganda.”
The statement is the first of its kind – a call from the entertainment and business community to unequivocally condemn the BBC’s response to this crisis. And to call for the establishment of a full independent commission of inquiry into the processes that allowed this documentary to air and to other instances of bias the past 16+ months.
The letter states: “It is time for the BBC to acknowledge that it has a systemic problem of bias against Israel of which this is the tip of the iceberg.”
The letter concludes: “This episode makes mockery of the Reithian Principle – to inform, educate and entertain—widely understood and recognized as a distillation of the BBC’s mission and as such is embedded in the BBC Royal Charter. The board and senior management should be considering their positions.”
Signatories Include:
Ozzy Osbourne, Artist and Author; Sharon Osbourne, Author, Manager, TV Personality; Danny Cohen, President, Access Entertainment; Mayim Bialik, Actress & Author; Debra Messing, Actress; Neil Blair, Partner, The Blair Partnership; Leo Pearlman, Co-CEO, Fulwell Entertainment; Rick Rosen, Co-Founder, Endeavor; Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, Chairman, InterTalent/Project 30 Studios/Chosen Music; Colin Lester OBE, Founder/Chairman JEM Music; Raye Cosbert, Managing Director, Metropolis Music; Fernando Szew, President and Head of FOX Entertainment Studios; David Renzer, Former Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing; Alistair Goldsmith, President, Chosen Music Ben Silverman; Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content; Tracy-Ann Oberman, Actress; Noreena Hertz, Writer; Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, Google/Youtube; Brian Message, Director, All Things Considered Management; Jonathan Strauss, CEO, Create Music Group; Modi Wiczyk, Co-Founder, MRC; Doug Davis, Founder, The Davis Firm; David Draiman, Frontman of the band Disturbed; Lee Trink, CEO, Game Theory Ventures; Rebecca De Mornay, Actress
If you would like to add your name, you can do so here: [Link]
FULL OPEN LETTER
We, the undersigned are calling for a full commission of inquiry into the recent actions taken by the BBC. The BBC has now acknowledged the very serious journalistic failings in their presentation of the documentary, “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” and the damage it has caused to the BBC’s reputation.
It is time for the BBC to acknowledge that it has a systemic problem of bias against Israel of which this is the tip of the iceberg. This is a true crisis for the broadcaster, which it is treating as a minor inconvenience whilst its highest paid presenter is allowed to openly deny there is an issue at all.
This episode makes mockery of the Reithian Principle – to inform, educate and entertain—widely understood and recognized as a distillation of the BBC’s mission and as such is embedded in the BBC Royal Charter. The board and senior management should be considering their positions.
The unwillingness of the BBC to address these problems transparently over the last 16+ months is what has led to the debacle.
Not only did the BBC platform a Hamas propaganda documentary — that featured the family of a Hamas leader and inaccurate translations — but it is has now admitted to actually using British taxpayer money to pay the family of a senior Hamas official.
The BBC must allow for a full independent commission of inquiry to investigate the processes that led to this documentary being produced, and the pervasive anti-Israel bias that has been allowed to pervade through the BBC system unobstructed.
SIGNATORIES:
Ari Ingel, Executive Director, Creative Community for Peace
Tiran Aakel, Actor
Marty Adelstein, CEO, Tomorrow Studio
Annabel Anisfeld, Writer/Producer, Metalwork Pictures, Olami Productions, Cygnet Gin
Rene Anisfeld, Voluntary Worker
Ricki Askin, Music Executive
Andrea Ballas, Publicity, Paramount
Craig Balsam, CEO, RT Industries
Will Barton, Actor
Richard Baskind, Lawyer, SMB
Bellamy Bellucci, Speaker, Ballet Coach, Model, Advocate and Activist
Abraham Bengio, Agent, WME
Adam Berkowitz, Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group
Luc Bernard, Director, Voices of the Forgotten
Mayim Bialik, Actor, Director, Sad Clown Productions
Annelise Bianchini, Actor
Josh Binder, Partner, Rothenberg Mohr & Binder, LLP
Andrea Black, Actress/Singer/Songwriter/Author, AKR Records
Neil Blair, Partner, The Blair Partnership
Ben Bodie, Music Publishing, NWS Music Group
Dan Brunn, Founder, Dan Brunn Architecture
Roni Brunn, CEO, Form and Pattern
Adam Cailler, Chairman of Reach PLC’s Jewish Network and Daily Star Senior Reporter, Reach PLC
Emily Cameron, Manager, ATC Management
Danny Cohen, President, Access Entertainment
Kate Cohen, Producer, Straight Up Films/MK Entertainment
Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, Google/YouTube
Jonathan Conway, Literary Agent, Jonathan Conway Literary Agency
Leanne Coronel, President, The Coronel Group
Raye Cosbert, Managing Director, Metropolis Music
Ben Cosgrove, CEO, Leviathan Productions
Eddy Cottridge, Actor
Doug Davis, Founder, The Davis Firm
Mirelle Davis, Artist Manager, Wind Up Bird Ltd
Shula Daws, Development Producer, Plum Pictures
Will Daws, Managing Director, Plum Pictures
Rebecca De Mornay, Actor
Avi Diamond, Director, Film & TV Licensing, Warner Music Canada
Laura Dodsworth, Writer
Craig Dorfman, Owner/Manager, Frontline Management
Brian Drach, Music Lawyer, Lewis Brisbois
David Draiman, Frontman of the band Disturbed
Jeremy Drysdale, Screenwriter, big:bam:boo:film:tv
Rabbi Pini Dunner, Rabbi, Beverly Hills Synagogue
Linda Edell Howard, Attorney, Edell Howard Enterprises
Ellis Elias, Chairman, Broadley Studios Ltd.
Craig Emanuel, LFG Productions
Eric Feig, Entertainment Attorney, Feig/Finkel LLP
Jacob Fenton, Partner, United Talent Agency
Ken Fermaglich, Partner, United Talent Agency
Larry Finlay, Retired Publisher, Transworld/Penguin Random House
Bradley Fischer, Producer, Wise Owl Media
David Fishof, Producer and Music Executive
Andrew Fox, Researcher and Writer, Henry Jackson Society
Jordan Frazes, Founder FRAZES CREATIVE
Adam Friedman, Executive + Investor, CAA + Connect Ventures
Adina Friedman, Manager, Artist House
Siri Garber, CEO & Founder, Platform Public Relations
Clive Gehle, Actor/Writer
Brett Gelman, Actor/Writer, Jaddy Inc.
Andrew Genger, Manager, Red Light Management
Maya Giladi, Business and Legal Affairs, Netflix
Gary Ginsberg, Partner, 25madison
Dan Glatman, Senior Relationship Director, Digital Futures
David Glick, Founder & CEO, Edge Group
Diana Golan, Make Up Artist
Elissa Gold, Creative Event Producer and Cultural Programmer, Admin & Event Solutions Limited
Saul Goldberg, Agent, CAA
Alistair Goldsmith, President, Chosen Music
Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa, UOS
Michael Goldwasser, President/Co-Founder, Easy Star Records
Julian Goodkind, CEO, Pure Sync
Elizabeth Goodstein, VP, Business Development + Strategy, Madison Wells Media
Andrew Gould, President, Music Publishing, Roc Nation
Malcolm Green, Director and Writer, Vigilante
Scott Greenberg, Manager and Partner, LBI Entertainment
Brett Gursky, Director, Magic Hour
Ronnie Harris, Partner, Harris and Trotter
Jonathan Hart, Producer
Alex Hearn, Creative Director, The Big A
Murray Hecht, Creative
Noreena Hertz, Writer
Sarah Hildering van Lith, Director, Electronic Music Virgin Music Group, Universal Music Group
Tsiona Hill, Actor
Sammy Horowitz, Writer/Producer
Josh Howie, Comedian/Writer
Sandra Jackson, Management, Phil Carson Associates
Sharon Joy, National Campaign Director, Jewish National Fund USA
Daniella Kahane, Founder, Riverside Pictures LLC
Rosie Kay, Director & Choreographer, K2CO
Richard Kemp, Writer
Charlotte Kendall, Accountant, Harris and Trotter LLP
Adam Kenwright, CEO, Kindred Partners
Lee Kern, Writer and Comedian
Melanie Kessler, Production Coordinator
Yosefa Koholany, Project Manager, Indipende
Jacob Krichefski, Actor
Dani Labi, Sales and Marketing, Dani Labi Consulting
Nicole Lampert, Journalist and Broadcaster
Colin Lester OBE, Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group
Ray Levy, Music Consultant, Ray Levy Consultant
Sean Liebowitz, Agent, Creative Artists Agency
Danielle Livesey, Music Management, PUSH Music Management
David Lonner, CEO, The David Lonner Co.
Patty Malkin, Costume Supervisor, Universal/Warner/Netflix
Gabriel Mann, Composer/Producer
Deborah Marcus, CAA Foundation, Executive, CAA
Amanda Markowitz, Actor/Producer
Orly Marley, President, Tuff Gong Worldwide
Dylan Massoni, Product Manager, Paramount
Natalia Maus, Producer, Nudnik
Brian Message, Director, All Things Considered Management
Debra Messing, Actor
Darren Michaelson, Director, L25 Entertainment
Laurence Miller, Commercial Director/General Manager, Nimax Theatres Ltd
Mark Morris, Managing Director, Investream
Michelle Morris, PR, Emerald PR
Tracy Ann Oberman, Actress and Playwright
Laura Ohnona, PR, LOPR
Ozzy Osbourne, Artist and Author
Sharon Osbourne, Music Manager, Television Host, and Author
Leo Pearlman, Co-CEO, Fulwell Entertainment
Wendy Plaut, SVP Celebrity Talent, Paramount Global
Gina Powell, Producer
Golan Ramraz, Producer, EGX Film Factory
David Renzer, Former Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing
Rick Rosen, Co-Founder, WME
Erez Rosenberg, Partner, Jackoway Austen
Claudia Rosencrantz, TV Producer
Nathan Ross, Film/TV Producer, Lilyrose Productions Inc.
Michael Rotenberg, Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment
Colin Schaverien, Managing Director, Prolifica
Ayelet Schiffman, SVP, Promotion, REPUBLIC
Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive & Music President, Electronic Arts
Nadia Schoenzwytt, Director
Jordan Schur, CEO and Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures and Suretone Entertainment
Camila Seta, Executive, Brand Consulting
Ofer Shabi, Director, Soho Sonic Ltd
Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, Chairman, InterTalent/Project 30 Studios/Chosen Music
Hillary Shaw, Managing Director, Entertainment Management
Jeremy Sigel, SVP Marketing Strategy & Operations, Paramount
Ben Silverman, Chairman and Co-CEO, Propagate Content
Tamar Simon, Owner, Mean Streets Management
Martin Singer, Attorney, Lavely & Singer
Jon Smith, Consultant, First Artist
Jeff Sosnow, EVP, A&R, Warner Records
John Spencer, Executive Director, Urban Warfare Institute
Halle Stanford, Executive Producer, The Jim Henson Company
Jonathan Steinsapir, Attorney, Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir
Caroline Stevens, Director, Isolutions Property Services Ltd
Estee Stimler, Playwright/Lyricist
Jonathan Strauss, CEO, Create Music Group
Tara Strong, Actress
Fernando Szew, Head of Studio, Fox Entertainment
Adam Taylor, President, APM Music
Inge Teeuwen, TV Producer, Inge Teeuwen Media
Karynne Tencer, Publicist, Tencer & Associates
Stephanie Thwaites, Literary Agent, Curtis Brown
Fred Toczek, Partner, Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP
Lee Trink, CEO, Game Theory Ventures
Laura Tropp, Publicist, Paramount Pictures
Eric Tuchman, Writer, Producer
Jonathan Turner, Chief Executive, UK Lawyers for Israel
David Ventura, Managing Director, Music Publishing
Noa Vinshtok, Range Media
Vera Wagman, Producer, Velocity + Direction
Karyn Wagner, Costume Designer, Karyn Wagner Costumes Inc
Ariyela Wald-Cohain, Costume Designer, Waco Designs
Evan M. Warner, Senior Partner/Agent, WME
Adam Wells, Director
Rebecca Wicking, Actor/Singer
Modi Wiczyk, Co-Founder, MRC
Jennifer Zeller, Music Consultant, ESP
** Note – The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.
Photo Description–Stock Photo ID: 2331829469
Photo Contributor: Zeynep Demis Aslim