David Sullivan, the billionaire co-owner of West Ham United, has resigned as joint chairman and director of the club with immediate effect, vowing to sue the BBC for libel over what he called “false allegations” about his personal life. The 77-year-old’s decision came hours before a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and the Times is due to be broadcast and published on Monday.
“I categorically deny these claims,” Sullivan said in a personal statement released on Saturday. “The false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media.” He described the accusations as “factually incorrect and entirely false”, adding that after “a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me”. Sullivan said he had not been provided with “any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication”.
“David Sullivan steps down as West Ham joint-chair after Panorama and Times investigation into historic allegations.”
BBC Panorama and the Times have confirmed they worked together on the investigation into Sullivan’s behaviour. A BBC spokesperson said: “Over decades, he’s made millions from pornography, newspapers, and football. The investigation is due to be broadcast and published on Monday.”
Sullivan made his fortune in the adult entertainment industry before founding the Sunday Sport newspaper in 1986. He bought a 50% stake in West Ham alongside the late David Gold in 2010, and after Gold’s death in January 2023 became the club’s largest single shareholder with a 38.8% stake. During their tenure, West Ham moved from Upton Park to the London Stadium in 2016 and won the Europa Conference League in 2023, their first major trophy since the 1980 FA Cup. But the club were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2025-26 season, finishing 18th.
In his statement, Sullivan said he was stepping down “to apply my full energy and attention on fighting these false allegations”. He added: “At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability.” West Ham said in a club statement that the allegations do not relate to the club or its operations, and that interim chief executive officer Karim Virani will oversee day-to-day operations. Baroness Karren Brady stepped down as vice-chair last month, adding to the upheaval at the club.
Sullivan insisted: “I am a private man, and those who personally and professionally know the real David Sullivan, not the caricature invented by the tabloids, know exactly who I am and what I stand for. I am absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as.” He plans to sue the BBC “along with any other media outlet that repeats any libellous allegations”.
The club said it would provide an update on the future board structure in due course but would make no further comment.