BBC executive Alan Yentob escapes unpunished for misleading viewers

The decision over Yentob, the BBC's creative director and widely seen as one of its ambassadors, leaves the broadcaster open to accusations of double standards.

Yentob appeared in footage manipulated to make it look as if he was conducting interviews for BBC1's Imagine series even though he was not actually there.

He allowed images of himself to be inserted, nodding in apparent agreement with guests, despite the fact that the questions were being posed by a researcher or producer.

The "Noddygate" incidents, as they rapidly became known, are said to have happened on "a few occasions" during the course of each series of Imagine because of Yentob's busy filming schedule.

The show, which has featured Bryn Terfel, the opera singer, the artists Gilbert and George, and musicians Jarvis Cocker, Radiohead and David Bowie, was launched in 2003.

It earned the nickname Al's Pals for featuring some of Yentob's friends and the latest series was broadcast earlier this year.

Last month, the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, told staff that those involved in deceptions could face dismissal.

"Nothing matters more than trust and fair dealing with our audiences," he told staff.

"We have to regard deception as a very grave breach of discipline which will normally lead to dismissal.

"If you have a choice between deception and a programme going off air, let the programme go. It is far better to accept a production problem and make a clean breast to the public than to deceive."

Yet it appears that Yentob, 60, was dealt with less severely.

It is understood he was summoned last week by Mr Thompson to explain his actions.

He was told such trickery should "not happen in future", an insider told the Sunday Times.

While the BBC conducted a formal investigation into abuses of phone-in and online competitions, there was no such inquiry into Yentob.

Mr Thompson said on his internet blog that the deception on Imagine was not done in "bad faith".

He added that between "serious cases of deception" and acceptable practice there were other cases that had raised "legitimate questions".

In this category he placed a Newsnight film on Gordon Brown that moved sequences out of chronological order, and Yentob's 'noddy' shots on Imagine.

"I don't believe either represented any kind of bad faith or conscious effort to deceive," Mr Thompson said.

"But in my view neither should happen in the future." He added that "noddies" should be used only if they formed part of the actual interview.

It is being argued that the punishment for Yentob should match that given to less senior staff caught up in allegations of fakery.

Last week, casualties of the row include Richard Marson, a former editor at Blue Peter, which rigged the results of an online poll to name the show's pet cat, and Leona McCambridge, a producer who allowed a phone-in competition to be faked on BBC 6 Music, a digital radio station.

Both are said to be considering legal action after claims that they have been made scapegoats.

Luke Crawley, of broadcasting union Bectu, said: "Alan Yentob's case is very strange ... and I have to say it's rather odd that the BBC don't seem to think that any punishment or investigation or disciplinary action is appropriate.

"It's not for me to call for people to be sacked, but you do have to wonder whether there's one law for low-level people and a completely different one for senior people."