Lucie Kon receives over £400,000 from BBC after antisemitism dispute

Lucie Kon has received a payout of more than £400,000 from the BBC.

The settlement resolves unfair dismissal proceedings brought by the producer, who left the corporation in April. The payment is partly funded by the television license fee. The BBC did not admit liability but acknowledged shortcomings in the process.

Kon holds an Oscar, an Emmy, and a BAFTA for her work on programs including Panorama, Today, and BBC Breakfast. She joined the BBC with a long history of industry honors. Her departure came 19 days after she won her Academy Award.

Kon told The Telegraph that her professional standing changed after the October 7 attacks in Israel. She messaged a colleague on WhatsApp to ask if they had seen the footage from the attacks. The colleague responded that "Zionists" were evil. Kon said the comment treated Hamas and Zionists as identical groups.

A second incident occurred when Kon discussed language regarding Hamas. A colleague told her that if she called Hamas terrorists, she had to call Israel a terrorist state. Kon later helped create an internal WhatsApp group for Jewish employees. She also wrote to then-Director General Tim Davie to raise her concerns.

Kon proposed a film about the events of October 7 to a colleague. That colleague dismissed the idea, saying the BBC had made enough films about Israel. Kon’s manager initially supported the project but later told Kon that the film needed to contextualize why Hamas acted. When Kon explained the project was a straightforward account, her manager’s manager removed her from the project. Kon said she was told this was "because you’re Jewish."

Kon filed a formal grievance. The BBC’s internal process found that her allegations of antisemitism were not upheld. The decision cited a lack of memory from colleagues regarding specific statements. The BBC also expressed concern for Kon’s mental health. Kon appealed the decision, but the appeal was unsuccessful.

During the appeal process, the BBC restricted Kon’s duties. She could no longer travel, commission, or speak on behalf of the corporation. The restriction was meant to be fair to the colleague involved. Kon continued working from home until December, when stress affected her health. She took sick leave based on a doctor’s note. Upon her return, she applied for a newly created position but was rejected. The BBC made her redundant in April.

The BBC refused to apologize or label Kon a victim of antisemitism. A spokesperson stated that the BBC is not institutionally antisemitic. The corporation said it valued Kon’s many years of dedicated service. Kon said the settlement marks the first known case of the BBC paying out after an alleged antisemitism claim.

Kon told The Telegraph that other Jewish colleagues continue to face bullying. She said she went from being a journalist who was Jewish to being a Jewish journalist. She compared the experience of identifying as a Zionist at the BBC to saying one’s foot was on the neck of George Floyd. Kon said the BBC encourages staff to bring their authentic selves to work. She did so and lost her job as a result.