BBC admits vetting failure after it hosted guest who praised Oct 7 Hamas invasion

British broadcaster promises tighter screening procedures after inviting influencer Bushra Shaikh, whose past statements about Jews, Israel and Iran sparked outrage.

By World Israel News Staff

The BBC has acknowledged serious shortcomings in its screening of a television guest who previously made inflammatory statements about Jews and appeared to celebrate the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel.

The admission followed criticism of the broadcaster’s decision to invite British influencer Bushra Shaikh, a former contestant on “The Apprentice,” onto BBC One‘s “Sunday Morning Live” on October 11 to discuss whether women should be permitted to wear full-face coverings, including burkas and niqabs, in public.

Shaikh’s appearance sparked controversy after previous social media posts resurfaced in which she attacked Jews who had immigrated to Israel from Europe, describing them as “lying scumbags” and “the biggest charlatans on this planet.”

Hours after Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, Shaikh posted a message comparing the attack with Ukraine’s war against Russia.

“Palestinians have done more in 5 minutes than Zelensky has done with 75bn. Humiliation is an understatement,” she wrote.

Following the October 2025 terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue, which killed two Jewish worshippers, Shaikh also blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of having Jewish blood on his hands.

Her statements about Iran have attracted additional scrutiny. In May, The Guardian reported on an investigation by Iranian fact-checking organization Factnameh that found Shaikh had participated in two state-organized press tours of Iran, met senior Iranian officials and published commentary favorable to Tehran.

Just hours after her BBC appearance, Shaikh posted another message declaring that Israel posed a greater threat to Western countries than Iran.

The controversy prompted Labour MP David Taylor to write to BBC Director-General Matt Brittin, demanding an explanation of the broadcaster’s vetting procedures and whether producers had been aware of Shaikh’s previous statements.

Responding on behalf of the BBC, Daisy Scalchi, the corporation’s head of religion and ethics for television, acknowledged that the independent production team behind “Sunday Morning Live” had failed to identify the controversial posts.

Scalchi said senior production officials had been unaware of Shaikh’s statements and conceded that the failure was “not in line with the standards we expect when selecting contributors for BBC programs.”

She also confirmed that the production company had reviewed its procedures and introduced additional oversight, including requiring senior staff to supervise background checks on prospective guests.

Taylor welcomed the acknowledgment but expressed alarm that Shaikh had been selected in the first place, citing her record of statements concerning the Iranian regime.

Shaikh, meanwhile, rejected the accusations against her.

“I am not antisemitic. I reject antisemitism,” she told The Telegraph, arguing that criticism of Israeli government policies should not automatically be treated as hostility toward Jews.

She also disputed suggestions that her commentary on Iran demonstrated support for the Iranian government.

The incident comes amid renewed scrutiny of the BBC‘s handling of antisemitism complaints and its coverage of Israel.

Last week, reports emerged that the corporation had paid more than £400,000 to award-winning Jewish documentary producer Lucie Kon, who alleged that she experienced antisemitic hostility from colleagues and was subsequently forced out after raising concerns following the October 7 attacks.

Kon, whose work included documentaries about the Hamas massacre at the Nova music festival, alleged that colleagues had questioned her impartiality because of her Jewish identity.

The BBC said its internal procedures had not upheld her allegations of antisemitism, although it acknowledged shortcomings in its treatment of her. Her employment ended during a departmental restructuring, and the settlement did not constitute an admission of discrimination.

The corporation has also faced criticism over its 2025 documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” which failed to disclose that its child narrator was the son of an official in Gaza’s Hamas-run administration.

British broadcasting regulator Ofcom subsequently ruled that the omission had materially misled viewers and breached broadcasting standards. The BBC‘s own review also identified serious editorial failings, although it found no breach of its impartiality guidelines.