BBC Pays Producer £400,000 in Settlement Over Antisemitism Dispute
Lucie Kon, an Oscar-winning filmmaker, was made redundant after formal grievances regarding workplace treatment were dismissed by the broadcaster.
By Anthony Shevchenko ·
The BBC has agreed to pay more than £400,000 to Lucie Kon, an Oscar and Emmy-winning producer, to settle her unfair dismissal claim. The corporation did not admit liability or apologize for antisemitism, but the payment marks the first known settlement for a staff member alleging such behavior among colleagues. Kon was made redundant in April, nineteen days after receiving her Academy Award for her work.
Kon’s departure followed a formal grievance process that began after the October 7 attacks. She described a shift in her professional treatment after messaging a colleague on WhatsApp about the events in Israel. Kon told The Telegraph that she remarked Hamas were evil, and the colleague responded that Zionists were also evil, treating the two groups as equivalent in a joking manner. Kon described the comment as tasteless for that specific moment in history.
Tensions escalated when Kon raised concerns about how Jewish staff were treated and whether Hamas could be described as committing acts of terror. Another colleague told her that if she labeled Hamas as terrorists, she was required to call Israel a terrorist state as well. In response to the worsening environment, Kon helped establish an internal WhatsApp group for Jewish employees and wrote to then-Director General Tim Davie.
Kon proposed producing a film about the October 7 attacks, a project her manager initially approved. However, when Kon explained the film would be a straightforward account of the day rather than a historical deep dive, her senior manager stated she could no longer oversee the project. The manager claimed the decision was made because Kon was Jewish and therefore partial. Kon noted that the replacement manager was the same colleague who had previously linked Hamas and Israel in terms of terrorism.
After Kon filed a formal grievance, she was instructed not to come into work and was barred from attending meetings with the colleague who had made the initial comments. Six months later, the BBC ruled that her allegations were not upheld, citing that some remarks were not remembered and expressing concern for her mental health rather than confirming the antisemitic motive. Her subsequent appeal was also unsuccessful.
During the appeal process, the BBC restricted Kon’s duties, telling her she could not travel, commission, or speak on behalf of the corporation to maintain fairness toward her colleague. By December, Kon’s health deteriorated due to stress, leading to sick leave. Upon her return, she applied for a newly created role but was rejected and subsequently made redundant in April.
A BBC spokesperson stated in a statement that the corporation processes did not uphold any allegations of antisemitism but acknowledged shortcomings and the personal impact on Kon. The broadcaster described her as a valued member of staff with many years of dedicated service. Kon, who is no longer with the company, said she stood up for who she was and lost her job as a result of bringing her authentic self to work.
Kon said she has spoken to other Jewish colleagues since leaving who feel embarrassed to identify as Zionist or Jewish. She described the experience as having her Jewish identity stamped on her forehead, turning her into a problem within the organization. The settlement will be partly funded by the license fee, according to The Telegraph.
