By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X).
The BBC have confirmed that an episode of Panorama investigating former West Ham chairman David Sullivan is due to air on Monday.
Sullivan resigned from his executive position at the Hammers earlier today, citing concerns over what he described as false allegations due to be broadcast.
In a statement, Sullivan said:
“I have recently become aware that factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life are due to be broadcast and published.”
The BBC and The Times have been working together on the investigation for a considerable period of time and that the programme has reportedly been delayed on multiple occasions.
However, following those delays, the documentary is now scheduled to air on BBC One at 8pm on Monday.
BBC And Times Joint Investigation
A BBC spokesperson said:
“BBC Panorama and The Times newspaper have been working together on a joint investigation into the behaviour of David Sullivan, who has announced he is stepping down as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC.
“Over decades, he’s made millions from pornography, newspapers, and football.
“The investigation is due to be broadcast and published on Monday.”
Sullivan Threatens Legal Action
Sullivan has strongly denied all allegations and has threatened legal action against the broadcaster and any organisation that repeats what he describes as defamatory claims.
He said:
“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.
“I believe that the entire process has been fundamentally unfair and completely lacking in any due impartiality.
“I will be suing the BBC for libel, along with any other media outlet that repeats any libelous allegations.”
As far as football club executives stepping down go, I genuinely can’t remember seeing anything quite like this.
Focus Turns To West Ham’s Future
Day-to-day responsibility for running the club now rests with interim chief executive Karim Virani, who has inherited something of a poisoned chalice after succeeding Karren Brady earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Daniel Kretinsky is still expected to increase his shareholding in the coming days.
With West Ham carrying significant debt and a number of players seeking moves away from the club following relegation, there is a growing need for stability and clarity over the direction of travel.
Christ now we are listening to “panorama ” with it’s history of misreporting , god how this clubs going downhill, ?
What I despise about these situations is that those journalists with their ‘allegations’ should, if they feel a criminal act could have been carried out, go to the police with their investigations and let them see your findings and allow the police see if their is anything to charge the individual with. This is the wrong way round and should be made illegal to do this before allowing the police or CPS to look at their claims before publishing. Then see if they have the bravery to point criminal accusations at that person in the knowledge that the prosecutors disagree with them.
The rise and fall of the Sullivan empire…
Football has become a really dirty and ugly business from what used to be to the beautiful game. Dirty money and high level individuals ruined it and there is no going back now. I remember football during the 70’ and 80’s and it held some kind of entertainment and honesty but now its all about the money and not the fans on the terraces.
The BBC needs to investigate itself. They are not short of a sex scandal or two. Hugh Edwards will still get hid pension.
Never watch it.
The interesting part is that Sullivan says he is going to sue the BBC. Quite often we hear plenty of people strongly denying allegations with none of them brave enough to actually sue those that make them. They usually want to keep as quiet as possible in order to shrivel back to where they want to hide. Let’s see if Sullivan goes through with his threat of legal action. As much as I desperately want him gone from the club, I equally don’t like damaging accusations to be made about anyone by journalists that are based on evidence that they’ve apparently unearthed that can neither be unequivocally proven or disproved. With the kind of business the guy was working in and the girls he would have been working with, willing to be paid to carry out certain acts, it’s going to be bloody difficult to judge that any person going into that industry was either non-consenting or not aware of what they were about to agree to.
A lot of these people with money and influence seem to get away with it because they are shielded by others around them and it usually comes out when they die think JS and MAF
But has been made to JS in his lifetime but never sued. Thats the important bit. However, those that have been found guilty rarely / never went through with a law suit against their accusers and probably for good reason.
We’re all desperate for this bloke to be shamed away from the club we love, but don’t just be swayed just because we hate him. Rotten accusations (if unproven) and smear campaigns against characters are even lower than the accusations made about the person in my book, no matter his much I despise them. You have to have certain standards than to wish anybody’s life is falsely ruined just because it suits your cause. I refuse to ever do that.
I totally agree with that bit bob, as much as I despise him and think he is a grubby little man falsely accusing him of something is totally out of order. But if you remember when JS died he was almost given sainthood. Initially people who desecrated his grave stone were vilified but then the scandal started to unravel and the scale of his crimes became evident. I’m sure there were a few accusations that were not genuine but equally many that were not proven. JS didn’t need to threaten legal action simply because he had the BBC Maggie Thatcher and many other high profile figures and the general public believing he was this weird benevolent character. Obviously I very much doubt this is on anything like that scale but a lot may depend on the type of allegations and obviously if they can be verified which can be difficult.
Never before will so many West Ham fans tune in to watch panorama!
I do wish the BBC and other media outlets would show equal enthusiasm and determination in investigating certain far right politicians
Panorama, to my knowledge, has never tried to stitch up somebody like Trump has it ?
Oh wait !