Manager testifies to “escalating behaviour” of dismissed presenter

A manager at the BBC expressed “significant concerns” regarding the social media conduct of a presenter who was dismissed. Jack Murley, a Bodmin native, was employed by BBC Radio Cornwall until his termination in 2023, which resulted from his activity on social media. During a tribunal held in Exeter, he refuted all allegations of misconduct, asserting that he experienced discrimination due to his sexual orientation and his role as a union representative. Emma Clements, the executive editor for BBC Radio Cornwall, who managed Mr. Murley starting in 2020, stated that he exhibited “escalating behaviour.” Ms. Clements’ written witness statement indicated that from 2021 to 2023, she was intermittently informed of inappropriate content posted by Mr. Murley. She described a recurring pattern in which she would reach out to him, instructing him to delete the posts. Ms. Clements informed the tribunal that on prior occasions when she requested he remove tweets, “it was never a problem, he always used to bring them down.” On 29 June 2023, during a phone conversation in which Ms. Clements requested he take down a post, Mr. Murley reportedly became “angry” and declined to remove any content. Ms. Clements stated in her witness testimony that she was left “upset, physically shaking and feeling quite ill” following this incident. She explained that she escalated the matter because it marked the first instance of his refusal to delete a post, and she harbored concerns about his readiness to go on air, considering his emotional state. Mr. Murley’s employment with the BBC was terminated on 30 June 2023. He informed the tribunal on Wednesday that his distress stemmed from a perceived lack of support from BBC management regarding homophobic abuse and death threats he had encountered. In response, Ms. Clements stated: “I provided as much support as I could.” She added: “He had regular one to ones with his line manager and an open line of communication with me.” Regarding Mr. Murley’s social media activity, Ms. Clements commented: “I was concerned that a member of my team was not complying with the guidelines.” Nick Toms, who represents Mr. Murley, characterized one of his posts, made in response to homophobic abuse, as “light hearted.” However, Ms. Clements countered that she had reservations about the specific language Mr. Murley employed. She remarked: “There are not many occasions on a local radio station that we would discuss sexual behaviour.” Additional posts by Mr. Murley, which the BBC alleges violated its social media guidelines, pertained to the organization’s Local Value For All project, initiated in 2022, encompassing modifications to BBC local radio. The guidelines mandate that staff demonstrate “due impartiality” in their posts, and the NUJ issued comparable directives to its representatives. Mr. Murley maintained that his responses were suitable given his capacity as a union representative. Raj Ford, representing the NUJ at the tribunal, asserted that Mr. Murley’s posts contained no impropriety. Ms. Clements stated that he had displayed “escalating behaviour” when articulating his opinions on this subject. The tribunal proceedings are ongoing. BBC Cornwall can be followed on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.