Opinion

Reform Turns on the BBC After Years of Feasting on Its Airtime

For years, the BBC inflated Nigel Farage and Reform UK’s political profile far beyond their democratic weight, platforming them across television, radio, online news, and endless panel shows. Reform received more mentions per MP than any party in the country, with Farage himself becoming a near-permanent fixture on flagship programmes—despite holding only a handful of seats. But the instant Donald Trump launched a furious backlash over Panorama’s misleading edit of his January 6th speech, threatening legal action worth billions, Farage gleefully joined the assault. In a display of pure opportunism, Reform turned on the broadcaster that legitimised and amplified them, reframing years of favourable exposure as proof of persecution. This article explores the scale of the BBC’s role in boosting Reform, the contradictions in Farage’s crusade, and how Trump’s fury became the excuse Reform needed to fully attack the hand that fed it.

photo of New Broadcasting House by Alexander Svensson

Farage and Reform UK spent years feasting on lavish BBC exposure—more airtime, more coverage, and more manufactured relevance than any small party in modern British history. But the moment Donald Trump threatens a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit over the Panorama scandal, Reform immediately joins the attack, biting the very hand that built them.

A long-running British current affairs debate programme broadcast by the BBC, featuring a panel of politicians, journalists, and public figures who answer questions from a live audience. Known for shaping political narratives, exposing public sentiment, and providing a high-visibility platform for emerging or controversial political voices.