Lucie Kon wins over £400,000 from BBC in antisemitism dispute
The award-winning producer was made redundant in April after alleging she was sidelined following the October 7 attacks.
By Victoria Singh ·
Lucie Kon has received a settlement of more than £400,000 from the BBC after claiming she was forced out of the corporation due to antisemitism.
Kon, who holds an Oscar, an Emmy, and a BAFTA, left the broadcaster in April. This departure came just 19 days after she won her Academy Award. Her tenure at the BBC included work on major programs such as Panorama, Today, BBC Breakfast, and Storyville.
The dispute began after the October 7 attacks in Israel. Kon stated that her professional treatment changed after she messaged a colleague on WhatsApp about the events. When she described Hamas as evil, the colleague responded that Zionists were also evil. Kon said the colleague treated the two groups as equivalent in a manner she found tasteless.
Tensions escalated when Kon raised concerns about the treatment of Jewish staff. Another colleague told her that if she labeled Hamas as terrorists, she must also call Israel a terrorist state. Kon helped create an internal WhatsApp group for Jewish employees and wrote to then-Director General Tim Davie regarding workplace climate.
When Kon proposed a film about the October 7 attacks, her manager initially approved the project but required it to contextualize why Hamas acted. When Kon explained the film would be a straightforward account of the day, her manager's manager removed her from the project. Kon said she was told this was because she was Jewish and therefore partial.
Kon filed a formal grievance, which the BBC later ruled was not upheld. The corporation stated that witnesses did not remember specific remarks and that Kon's removal from the film was due to mental health concerns rather than her identity. Kon appealed this decision, but the appeal was also unsuccessful.
During the appeal process, the BBC restricted Kon's travel and commissioning duties to avoid conflict with a colleague. By December, her health deteriorated due to stress. She took sick leave and was later told her job was at risk of redundancy. Kon applied for a newly created role but was rejected and made redundant in April.
The BBC agreed to the settlement without admitting liability or issuing an apology. A BBC spokesperson said in a statement that the corporation's processes did not uphold Kon's allegations of antisemitism but acknowledged shortcomings and the personal impact of the dispute. The corporation described Kon as a valued member of staff with many years of dedicated service.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
