Stephen Nolan accused of corrupting BBC job interview by DUP MP

The BBC presenter Stephen Nolan "corrupted" a BBC job recruitment process, it has been alleged.

The DUP MP Gregory Campbell made the claim during a debate on BBC Commissioning in the House of Commons.

Mr Campbell alleged that Mr Nolan gave one applicant for a job on his production team "the interview questions in advance".

A BBC Northern Ireland spokesman said: "Stephen Nolan does not sit on interview panels for BBC staff jobs."

He added that recruitment decisions "are made solely by the panel members", but also said that the BBC would "consider carefully any evidence Mr Campbell might want to share with us".

The Conservative Minister of State for Media, John Whittingdale, responding for the government during the hearing, said the allegations "would need to be investigated".

However, he added it was not a matter that the government "can or should" investigate.

Instead, he suggested that in the first instance Mr Campbell contact Michael Smyth, the recently appointed BBC board member for Northern Ireland.

Mr Campbell made the allegation during a debate on the oversight of BBC Commissioning during a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday.

The DUP MP said that he had been given "an account of a BBC internal process, an interview for a highly sought after job in the BBC Nolan production team".

Mr Campbell said the position was "sought after" and that ten internal or external candidates had been unsuccessful.

Addressing the MP appointed as chair of Tuesday's Westminster Hall debate, Laurence Robertson, Mr Campbell alleged "the process was rigged".

"It wasn't fair and it lacked integrity," Mr Campbell claimed.

"Because the unsuccessful applicants didn't lose out necessarily because they were unprepared for the interview process.

"They lost because unlike the winning candidate, the presenter did not ring them up and give them the interview questions in advance.

"Nor were they treated to a nice meal by the presenter before the interview."

Mr Campbell continued: "Mr Chairman, this former BBC employee is prepared to come before this house and testify in committee that Stephen Nolan corrupted a BBC recruitment process by giving one applicant the interview questions in advance and coaching them on how they should answer questions."

Mr Campbell then claimed the former BBC employee wrote to the former director of BBC Northern Ireland, Peter Johnston, in October 2018 "and told him about this corruption of process".

But Mr Campbell said that he was unaware of any subsequent investigation or action.

Mr Johnston, who is now the BBC Director of Editorial Complaints, was recently appointed to lead a review into Russell Brand's time at the corporation.

"Truth and integrity demands a thorough investigation with government ministers telling the director general that he needs to act and needs to act now," Mr Campbell concluded.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, a BBC spokesperson said: "The BBC is committed to filling vacancies in line with employment law and best practice.

"Mr Campbell's allegation appears to refer to a BBC recruitment process in 2016.

"Stephen Nolan does not sit on interview panels for BBC staff jobs, including for this role, and decisions are made solely by the panel members.

"We will, of course, consider carefully any evidence Mr Campbell might want to share with us and take seriously the need to protect the fairness and integrity of our recruitment processes," the statement added.