Donald Trump plans to use internal BBC emails and the chairman’s apology in his £7 billion defamation lawsuit over a Panorama programme. The case centres on a 12-second edit of his 6 January 2021 speech, which placed remarks made more than 50 minutes apart together, allegedly creating the impression that he directly encouraged violence.

Trump’s lawyers say the apology supports their claim that the BBC acted with “actual malice”, a requirement under US libel law, while the BBC says the editing error was unintentional. They also argue that emails showing the programme was shared with selected US residents could establish that it was published in America; the BBC disputes this and says the documentary was intended for a UK audience. The controversy contributed to the resignations of senior BBC executives.