EXCLUSIVE: ITN is facing fresh questions about its workplace culture after an external review concluded that a journalist suffered disability discrimination when raising concerns about his working environment, Deadline can reveal.
Leo, a pseudonym we are using to protect the identity of the journalist, left ITN in April with a “significant” undisclosed financial settlement after a tumultuous conclusion to his 12-year-long career at the company, where he was once recognized as a rising star and secured Royal Television Society award nominations.
ITN is the respected British production outfit behind ITV, Channel 4 and Paramount-owned 5’s news services, as well as hit Netflix documentaries, such as The Investigation of Lucy Letby. But in recent years it has been dogged by questions about its culture, approach to complaints handling, and use of non-disclosure agreements.
In 2024, a review by law firm Simmons & Simmons concluded that there was “low trust and psychological safety” within parts of ITN, according to a summary seen by Deadline. Some employees complained that they were reluctant to speak out, fearing that it could impact their wellbeing.
Leo’s story thrusts these issues back into the spotlight, not least because the external HR consultant engaged by ITN to improve workplace conditions and provide management training was deemed to have discriminated against Leo, albeit unintentionally.
ITN said the wellbeing of its employees was “paramount,” and that it investigates concerns fairly and has learned from past mistakes. The company strongly refutes the way the events involving Leo have been characterized, but said it could not comment on individuals. ITN did not admit any liability as part of Leo’s exit agreement, per documents seen by Deadline.
Leo, who did not sign an NDA after leaving ITN, has a history of mental health issues. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after reporting on the terror attack on an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017. Then in 2023, he was signed off work and hospitalized with depression.
ITN gave Leo access to trauma support and private therapy, but has admitted to shortcomings in handling his mental health after his 2023 breakdown. This included breaching his privacy in July 2024 when an HR executive shared sensitive information about his condition without Leo’s consent.
In interviews with Deadline, Leo said the deterioration of his working relationship with a senior colleague sparked a chain of events that led to his departure, including Leo himself facing a gross misconduct investigation. Deadline is not disclosing the identity of the senior colleague or the ITN division in which Leo worked.
Leo alleged that the relationship breakdown was exacerbated by a power imbalance that resulted in him becoming isolated at work. This was disputed by other sources familiar with the situation, who did not recognize the power dynamic described by Leo. The sources added that the relationship breakdown also provoked serious concerns about the wellbeing of the senior colleague.
In November 2024, Leo wrote an email to his senior colleague detailing his misgivings about their working relationship, as well as expressing concerns to managers and HR. The correspondence triggered an ITN investigation, which was overseen by a representative from People Puzzles, an external HR consultancy drafted in to improve ITN’s people management and complaints procedures.
Leo told ITN he did not want or expect the matters to be formally investigated. He feared that the investigation could be weighted in favor of his colleague because of their seniority, despite receiving assurances that this was not the case. The senior colleague was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing, but Leo claimed that the investigation was flawed because of its focus on his mental illness.
His subsequent complaint about ITN’s investigation was examined as part of an external review by Kane HR, per a report seen by Deadline. Kane HR concluded that the ITN’s investigation “inappropriately strayed” into a discussion about Leo’s mental wellbeing and its impact on the workplace, instead of focusing on fact-finding.
“My view is that [the] employee was subjected to some disadvantages in the investigation process, based on his disability, and it could have been conducted in a fairer and more conciliatory way,” the report said.
Kane HR concluded that Leo’s experience was “discriminatory,” though stressed that this was not done intentionally and that no “statutory requirements” were breached by the People Puzzles consultant. The Kane HR report said the original investigation’s recommendations were “comprehensive and reasonable,” but added that there were elements of Leo’s experience that “may have been appropriate to investigate further.”