Two female BBC reporters left terrified after bosses staged fake break-in in bid to beef up office security
THE BBC terrified two of its female reporters — by staging a fake 11pm break-in to test security measures at a regional headquarters.
An actor hired by bosses to pretend to be an intruder to probe weak spots was found by the frightened duo lurking in a dark underground staff car park.
BBC director-general Tim Davie has promised to investigate last Thursday’s incident in Nottingham.
A female worker there said: “The staff had just left the Newsroom after finishing the East Midlands Today late TV bulletin. It was late so there were few people around.
“They went to the car park underneath the building. It’s enclosed with a shutter which opens to let cars in and out.
“They found the man hiding between cars and were terrified. He identified himself and explained he was working for the BBC in a ‘penetration test’. Women working here are angry that money is being spent on stunts like this rather than on better security.”
Firms charge up to £3,000 a day for the tests.
East Midlands BBC editor Emma Agnew emailed staff to say no managers in England had been notified of the procedures.
She wrote: “I have been in direct contact with Tim Davie and he has promised to get back to us as a matter of urgency.”
The BBC said: “We don’t comment on security matters.”