Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon, along with 600 industry figures, signed an open letter urging the BBC to air the documentary Gaza: Medics Under Fire, after the broadcast was delayed for months.
The signatories are calling for the immediate release of the film, arguing that it has already undergone thorough editorial review and fact-checking and has been ready to air for months.
“Every day this film is delayed, the BBC fails in its commitment to inform the public, fails in its journalistic responsibility to report the truth, and fails in its duty of care to these brave contributors,” the letter stated. “No news organization should quietly decide behind closed doors whose stories are worth telling. This important film should be seen by the public, and its contributors’ bravery honored.”
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“The BBC continues to demonstrate bias in its reporting and coverage of events in Gaza, raising continued concern and criticism about the balance and impartiality of its journalism in this region,” it added.
"This is not editorial caution. It’s political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media."
Among the notable signatories urging the film’s release are Game of Thrones star Indira Varma and actors Harriet Walter, Miriam Margolyes, Maxine Peake and Juliet Stevenson. NHS doctors who helped develop the film are also reportedly concerned about the delay.