The BBC is set to appoint external experts to ensure all of its content is impartial.

       Tim Davie, the director-general, has sought to tackle accusations of bias with an impartiality crackdown, which has included controls on staff sharing their opinions on social media and emphasising the need for neutrality in news roles.

       This firm line will now extend beyond news and current affairs, with experts from outside the BBC appointed to analyse all the broadcaster's content for signs of potential bias.

       Outside investigators will do this by leading a series of rolling reviews into different areas of output, from how tax news is covered to the contents of CBeebies programmes, to ensure impartiality guidelines are being met across the corporation.

       10-point action plan

       The BBC unveiled the initiative in a 10-point action plan aimed at maintaining editorial standards, stating: “This strategic programme of reviews will have topics and review chairs, likely to be independent of the BBC.

       “Reviews will look beyond news and current affairs to the treatment of the issue across the wider range of BBC output (e.g. documentaries, children’s programming and educational content).

       “They will consider how this broader output might contribute to overall public perceptions of impartiality, while recognising that audiences have varying expectations of different kinds of output, and that the creative processes involved can be very different.”

       The BBC’s board will select the topics up for review, and sign off on the independent chairmen appointed, according to the unveiled action plan.

       No BBC employee beyond reproach

       The announcement follows Mr Davie’s work in guarding against accusations of bias levelled at the broadcaster.

       It also responds to concerns over editorial standards raised by Sir Nichlas Serota, who led a review into the culture at the BBC following revelations about the "deceitful" way Martin Bashir obtained an interview with Lady Diana in 1995.

       Sir Nicholas found that the BBC “needs to do more to embed editorial values into the fabric of the organisation”. He also said the corporation has now announced it will be launching a “new editorial whistleblowing policy” for staff to flag breaches of editorial rules.

       There will be newly-assigned “senior individuals in each division with whom staff can raise concerns”, as well as editorial training courses rolled out across the organisation.

       The BBC has also said that no employee will be beyond reproach following the scandal surrounding Mr Bashir’s work with the corporation.

       The action plan states: “This will be reemphasised to all staff, making it clear that deliberate or negligent breaches of a serious nature, or attempts to conceal them, will result in disciplinary action or dismissal, regardless of seniority, profile or role.”