The BBC has apologised to Nigel Farage after the broadcaster was forced to amend a story suggesting the GB News presenter's Coutts accounts were closed due to his funds falling below the private bank's financial threshold.
The senior BBC journalist who made the claims said the information from a "trusted and senior" source turned out to be "incomplete and inaccurate".
Director-general Tim Davie reached out to Farage after the BBC ran a now-amended story quoting sources "familiar" with the situation which claimed Coutts made the "commercial decision" to shut Farage's personal and business accounts.
It comes after a 40-page dossier revealed Coutts chiefs made a concerted effort to “exit” him as a customer as they didn’t believe the former Ukip leader aligned with their views.
Despite Farage being described by Coutts as a backer of Russia President Vladimir Putin as part of his war with Ukraine war, the bank had processed laundered cash with links to the Russian government and KGBPAIn a tweet, BBC journalist Simon Jack wrote: "The information on which we based our reporting on Nigel Farage and his bank accounts came from a trusted and senior source.
"However the information turned out to be incomplete and inaccurate. Therefore I would like to apologise to Mr Farage."
Farage demanded an apology from the broadcaster just a few days ago for its inaccurate reporting of events.
The BBC's report was published just one day after business editor Jack sat with NatWest chief Dame Alison Rose at a charity dinner.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Dame Alison sent Farage a letter of apology for what was uncovered in the dossier.
Farage’s account with Coutts had been closed earlier this month after the bank said they no longer wanted him as a customer.
However, damning screenshots have since been shared which go against the BBC reports.
The report states that "while it is accepted that no criminal convictions have resulted, commentary and behaviours that do not align to the bank's purpose and values have been demonstrated".
BBC Broadcasting HousePAThe GB News presenter was also labelled a racist and xenophobe.
In addition, they cited his support of former US President Donald Trump and tennis champion Novak Djokovic and his GB News debates about the Covid-19 vaccines as reasons for the cancellation.
Farage was also described as a backer of Russia President Vladimir Putin as part of his war with Ukraine war and a transphobe for retweeting a clip of Ricky Gervais’s stand-up routine.
