BBC settles with Lucie Kon for more than £400,000

Lucie Kon received a payment exceeding £400,000 from the BBC to end a legal dispute over her departure from the corporation. The payout was funded partly by the license fee. The broadcaster did not admit liability in the agreement.

Kon is an Oscar and Emmy winner who left the BBC in April. She departed 19 days after winning the Academy Award for her work. The dispute centers on claims that she faced victimization following the October 7 attacks in Israel.

Kon told The Telegraph that her treatment changed after she messaged a colleague about the attacks. She described Hamas as evil in the message. The colleague replied that Zionists were also evil, comparing the two groups in a manner Kon found tasteless for the moment.

When Kon raised concerns about how Jewish staff were treated, another colleague stated that if Hamas were called terrorists, Israel must also be called a terrorist state. Kon helped create an internal WhatsApp group for Jewish employees and wrote to Director General Tim Davie to flag the issues.

Kon proposed a film about the events of October 7 to a manager. The manager later told her the project would proceed but required context for why Hamas acted. When Kon explained the film would be a straightforward account, her manager’s manager said Kon could no longer oversee the work because she was Jewish and therefore partial.

The manager stated that the replacement supervisor was the colleague who had previously made the remark about Israel being a terrorist state. A compromise allowed Kon to keep the role under strict supervision to ensure impartiality. Kon filed a formal grievance after this arrangement.

The BBC review did not uphold Kon’s allegations. Staff were told that some comments were not remembered and that concerns about Kon’s mental health were a factor in the decision. Her appeal was also denied. During this period, the BBC moved a colleague away from the main office and restricted Kon’s ability to travel or speak for the corporation.

By December, Kon took stress-related sick leave. After returning, she applied for a new role but was rejected. She was made redundant in April. She is the first known person to receive a BBC settlement after alleging antisemitic behavior by colleagues.

Kon said other Jewish colleagues continue to face bullying. She noted that staff still feel embarrassed to identify as Zionist or Jewish. She described feeling like her Jewish identity was stamped on her forehead and made her a problem at work.

A BBC spokesperson said in a statement that the corporation processes did not uphold the allegations of institutional antisemitism. The broadcaster acknowledged shortcomings and the personal impact on Kon. It described her as a valued member of staff with many years of dedicated service.