A BBC Panorama programme investigating a company developing luxury homes in the Caribbean was pulled from its intended broadcast date and one of the show’s producers has been suspended over allegations of bribery. The show was investigating the property developer Harlequin and a spokesperson for the company has confirmed that producer Matthew Chapman had emailed Sean Ghent, a consultant to Harlequin, to suggest that the company may go out of business soon and that he may get work at the BBC, with the current affairs programme. Ghent confirmed that the email had come from a BBC email address.

Ghent told The Times that he was approached via the LinkedIn website, on March 13 and was “shocked” by the person’s approach. “He was suggesting my job might disappear," he said. "It seemed to me he was trying to offer me an enticement. Other news outlets have reported on the scenario and The Guardian state that the Serous Fraud Office and Essex police have launched an investigation into various complaints relating to Harlequin. In January, the Financial Services Authority reportedly issued a warning to financial advisers about investing clients’ money in Harlequin.

However, the BBC has a strict anti-bribery policy in place and in a letter to the BBC’s litigation department, Harlequin wrote “On any sensible interpretation, the message to Mr Ghent is simply staggering. It appears to constitute a flagrant and in out view highly improper attempt by [the journalist] to induce Mr Ghent into disclosing information about Harlequin in return for the potential reward of future work from the BBC. In short, it appears to be tantamount to an attempted bribe." The documentary was intended to be aired last Monday but has been pulled from air and a producer has been suspended.