‘Playing legal God’ | Channel 4 denies using NDAs after claims ex-staff were 'silenced'

Channel 4 has been placed at the centre of a confidentiality and non-disparagement agreement storm, after claims have surfaced that ex-employees were effectively “silenced” from raising employment issues amid their exit from the firm.

The broadcaster said it does not use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), insisting its settlement deals would “never prevent individuals from raising issues of serious wrongdoing.”

A report published by Deadline earlier this week, which analysed a handful of Channel 4 settlement deals and cited numerous ex-C4 workers, claimed staff are restricted in what they can say about their former employer by agreements that are NDAs “in all but name.”

Were Channel 4 staff ‘silenced’ through settlement agreements?

Deadline’s report reviewed 61 settlement deals signed by ex-Channel 4 employees who left the broadcaster between 2017 and 2021 following an employment dispute, with total settlement payouts reaching close to £5million.