‘Evil Zionist’ — Fired BBC producer wins antisemitism settlement

The Oscar-winning producer said she lost her job after speaking openly about her Jewish identity and Zionism.

By World Israel News Staff

A veteran Jewish media producer who was forced out of the BBC after experiencing antisemitic harassment following the October 7 Hamas-led massacre has secured a £400,000 ($535,100) settlement from the British broadcaster.

Lucie Kon, who won an Academy Award in 2026 for her role as an executive producer of the feature documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin, brought legal proceedings against the BBC, arguing that she was unfairly dismissed after being subjected to antisemitic bullying in the workplace.

The BBC agreed to pay Kon to settle the case without admitting liability or acknowledging that she had been the victim of antisemitism.

Following the settlement, Kon has spoken publicly about what she describes as a pervasive atmosphere of hostility toward Jews and Israel at the broadcaster after the terror invasion of Israel.

“It was like having ‘Jew’ stamped on my forehead,” Kon told The Telegraph.

Kon said that speaking openly about her Jewish identity and defending Israel came at a significant personal and professional cost. She said she believes that BBC authorities felt she had “made too much noise about being a Jew” while working at the network.

“I stood up for my community. I was open about being a Zionist. The BBC says, ‘bring your authentic self to work.’ And I did. And I lost my job as a result,” she added.

According to Kon, colleagues made remarks about Israel and Zionism that contributed to a hostile working environment. She cited comments characterizing Zionists as “evil” and a co-worker calling then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “disgusting” for visiting a Jewish school.

Kon also said that colleagues claimed that the October 7 massacre could only be understood in the “context” of the alleged Israeli occupation. She said others maintained that if Hamas was described as a terrorist organization, Israel should be referred to as a terrorist state.

After she raised concerns with her supervisors, Kon said the BBC instructed her to work from home, sidelined her professionally, and eventually dismissed her.

The BBC, which has a long history of anti-Israel reporting, has not publicly commented on the settlement.