Lucie Kon, a long-serving BBC producer and commissioning editor with an extensive career spanning major programs such as Panorama and Today, has received a payout exceeding £400,000 following claims that she was subjected to antisemitic treatment and forced out of the corporation. The settlement, which the BBC agreed to without admitting liability, comes after Kon raised formal grievances related to her treatment in the workplace following the October 7 attacks in Israel.

Kon, who won an Oscar just weeks before leaving the BBC in April, described a deteriorating work environment in the aftermath of the attacks. She said her interactions with colleagues shifted noticeably, including an incident where a colleague equated “evil Hamas” with “evil Zionists,” a remark she found particularly offensive and inappropriate given the context. Kon reported difficulties when she sought to address concerns about antisemitism and insisted that staff should be allowed to label Hamas’s actions as terrorism. She said that when she pushed back, she was told that if she called Hamas terrorists, she must also call Israel a terrorist state.

Following these tensions, Kon helped create an internal WhatsApp group for Jewish employees and raised issues directly with then-Director General Tim Davie. Her plans to produce a documentary on the October 7 events were initially dismissed, only for her manager to later express interest while emphasizing the need to contextualize Hamas’s actions. After challenging this framing and the expectation to delve into political context, Kon was removed from overseeing the project, reportedly for being “Jewish” and thus considered partial. The BBC later allowed her to resume oversight but only under supervision.

Kon lodged a formal grievance, which was ultimately dismissed, with the BBC stating that many of her claims could not be substantiated by witness testimony. Following an unsuccessful appeal, the BBC moved the colleague involved in the dispute to a different location while limiting Kon’s responsibilities, including travel and commissioning. Kon’s health suffered due to the stress of the situation, leading to sick leave and ultimately her redundancy in April.

She subsequently pursued unfair dismissal proceedings against the BBC, which culminated in the financial settlement. Kon expressed that other Jewish employees continued to face harassment and felt unable to openly identify as Jews or Zionists within the corporation. “I went from being a journalist and commissioner at the BBC who was Jewish to being a Jewish journalist at the BBC,” she said, describing how her identity appeared to mark her as a problem.

The BBC issued a statement acknowledging Kon’s long service and noting there were shortcomings in how her case was handled, but they rejected the allegation that the corporation is institutionally antisemitic. The corporation also emphasized that the settlement did not constitute an admission of liability. Kon has called for the BBC to take more substantive action beyond the online antisemitism training currently offered to staff.