By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER Published: 02:11 BST, 6 October 2025 | Updated: 23:04 BST, 6 October 2025
The BBC is said to have banned its staff from using terms like 'sweetheart' and introduced new sexual harassment training in the wake of several bad behaviour scandals.Employees are reportedly being told to fill in screen skills passports 'designed to create a better, more welcoming and safe place to work' as part of the latest package of measures.The guidance also warns against microaggressions - such as comments on people's accents or remarking on curly hair. A new reading list includes controversial books like White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo and Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, by Reni Eddo-Lodge.One production worker revealed to The Sun it was now 'hard to remember everyone's pronouns' claiming she had been told off for calling someone 'hun'.The BBC has said the training is 'not mandatory' for its staff. It comes as the BBC has been hit by a slew of bad behaviour scandals in recent months, with MasterChef host John Torode axed for allegedly using a racist term, which he denied.His co-star Gregg Wallace was investigated over claims of swearing and inappropriate sexual language.And the revelations followed Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice being stepped down last year after an investigation upheld allegations of bullying language. The BBC has banned its staff from using terms like 'sweetheart' and introduced new sexual harassment training in the wake of several bad behaviour scandals (file image) The BBC has been hit by a slew of bad behaviour scandals in recent months, including against both MasterChef co-hosts John Torode (L) and Gregg Wallace (R)A BBC worker claimed she was 'hounded' until she'd done her training and informed she would not be employed unless successful completion had taken place.She said: 'It's like walking on eggshells, whether it's about race, your sex or your preferred pronouns.'Increasingly, we have runners who are LGBTQ+ and it's hard to remember everyone's pronouns, so I just call them "hun", but now worry that's wrong, too.'The employee said she had got 'called up' for calling someone 'a babe' and recalled the term was seen as 'unprofessional' despite her intending it as a compliment.She said: 'Since then I've felt I have to be really careful. I just keep quiet and say nothing. It feels like woke gone mad.'The 60-minute Screen Skills training course for freelancers sees staff asked to complete a multiple choice quiz with modules including 'tackling harassment and bullying at work'.Another condemned behaviour is interrupting someone else at work- a trait among 'indirect, often unintentional expressions of bias which come out in seemingly harmless comments but can have an immediate or cumulative effect'. Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice was stepped down last year after an investigation upheld allegations of bullying language (file image)'Silver fox' and 'baby-faced' are also seen as ageist. It is understood the screen skills training is not mandatory for staff and content of the pilot, for freelancers, is being reviewed.A BBC spokesman said: 'This training is not mandatory for BBC staff.'ScreenSkills ran a pilot for its Training Passport with BBC Studios, ITV Studios and Sky for freelancers across the industry which is now being rolled out more widely, but the claims made do not reflect the content of the course.'In particular we don't recognise these references to language, and the books/texts referred to are not in any recommended reading lists in training across the BBC.'
