Third Former Executive Takes Legal Action Against S4C
A third former executive of the publicly-funded Welsh-language broadcaster S4C has initiated legal proceedings against the organisation. Amanda Rees, who previously served as S4C's director of platforms, filed a personal injury claim in the High Court on 3 February.
Rees is the third member of S4C's management team in the past two years to bring a claim against the channel. She has declined to comment on the matter. Similarly, S4C has stated that it does not wish to provide any comment regarding the claim.
The court documents related to Rees's claim have not yet been made publicly available.
Amanda Rees's Career at S4C and Subsequent Roles
Amanda Rees joined S4C in 2016 as the creative director of content before being promoted to director of platforms. After her departure from the broadcaster in late 2023, she has undertaken various roles, including serving as a non-executive director of Ofcom's Wales advisory committee and as chairman of Ffilm Cymru Wales.
Previous Legal Claims Against S4C by Former Executives
S4C has also faced legal claims from two other prominent former employees. Sian Doyle, the ex-chief executive, was dismissed from her £162,000-a-year position in November 2023 following accusations of being "dictatorial" and "creating a culture of fear" within the organisation.
At the time of her dismissal, Doyle stated that she did not
"recognise or accept the allegations". She subsequently filed a personal injury claim against S4C, which was settled during the previous year.
A separate High Court claim remains ongoing, brought by former chief content officer Llinos Griffin-Williams. Griffin-Williams was dismissed in 2023 over allegations of gross misconduct, which included accusations of being intoxicated and verbally abusive in a professional context towards former rugby player Mike Phillips.
Griffin-Williams denies these allegations and is pursuing claims for loss of earnings, reputational damage, and injury to her feelings and health. Additionally, she asserts that other individuals at S4C,
"about whom allegations capable of amounting to gross misconduct had been made", were not summarily dismissed as she was.
S4C has previously stated that there is no record of complaints against other members of staff and continues to defend the ongoing lawsuit.
