David Sullivan has launched a £150m libel claim against the BBC after Panorama broadcast allegations that he exploited vulnerable women in a reported "casting couch" pattern linked to his newspapers. Sullivan resigned as West Ham co‑chairman and denies the accusations, saying the reporting was unfair and sensationalised. Police inquiries over nearly two decades reportedly ended with no charges, while the Football Association previously imposed safeguarding measures restricting his contact with women's and youth teams. Panorama also named Tony Livesey, who has left the BBC and denies the claims attributed to him.
David Sullivan Sues BBC for £150m After Panorama's 'Casting Couch' Allegations
West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has lodged a High Court claim against the BBC - Action Images/John Sibley
David Sullivan has launched a £150 million libel claim against the BBC over allegations of sexual misconduct aired in the Panorama documentary Predator: The Billionaire Football Boss. The West Ham United co‑owner, 77, who retains a 38.8% stake in the club, announced his intention to sue two days before the programme was broadcast and resigned as co‑chairman and director of the club.
Allegations And Panorama Investigation
The June 8 Panorama episode, produced in partnership with The Times, featured testimony from seven women — six of them anonymous — who accused Sullivan of using his position to exploit young, vulnerable women in what the programme described as a "casting couch" pattern linked to his Daily Sport and Sunday Sport titles. The programme reported that some former models in their late teens or early 20s said Sullivan had pressured them into sex or oral sex by promising career advancement.
Sullivan's Response
Sullivan strongly denied the allegations, calling them "entirely false" and criticising the coverage as "sensationalised." He said he had not been given a satisfactory explanation of how the claims were verified and described the process as "fundamentally unfair" and lacking impartiality. In a public statement he said he had engaged lawyers and would seek full legal and public redress for each alleged false complaint. He also reiterated his denial of any wrongdoing.
"I have not been provided with any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication," Sullivan said. "I am stepping down to apply my full energy and attention on fighting these false allegations."
Police Inquiries, FA Action And Related Names
Telegraph Sport reported that police inquiries stretching back 18 years into allegations against Sullivan were dropped without charges. Separate complaints raised with police in 2008, 2021 and 2023 did not result in prosecutions after investigations mainly conducted by Essex Police.
Tony Livesey left the BBC last month - PA/Danny Lawson
Earlier reporting also revealed that the Football Association imposed safeguarding measures on Sullivan three years ago, preventing him from having contact with West Ham's women's and youth teams. Sullivan described that measure as a "temporary agreement" linked to an anonymous complaint about an alleged 1981 incident and denied it related to his time in football.
The Panorama programme also named Tony Livesey, the former editor‑in‑chief of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport who later worked at BBC Radio 5 Live. Livesey temporarily stepped down in June and has since left the BBC. Panorama said Livesey had arranged a meeting in the 1990s between a glamour model and Sullivan and credited him with creating a controversial "Countdown to 16" feature; Livesey says he has "no recollection" of introducing the woman and denies wrongdoing.
Legal Context And Wider BBC Issues
The BBC is already defending a separate high‑value defamation claim brought by former US President Donald Trump over a 2024 Panorama episode that edited together parts of a speech he gave before the 2021 Capitol riot. That case is said to be worth roughly $10bn (about £7.56bn); the BBC has apologised for the edit but denied it amounted to defamation.
Recent Developments And Reaction
Despite requests from venue operators and the West Ham Fan Advisory Board to stay away, Sullivan attended West Ham's Carabao Cup first‑round match against Portsmouth last month. Both Sullivan and the BBC have been approached for comment.
Note: Panorama says its reporting was based on multi‑year investigations and testimony from multiple sources; Sullivan disputes the claims and has begun legal proceedings.
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