Staff show their support for 'inspirational' Dyke

The BBC's internal e-mail system was working overtime within minutes of Greg Dyke's resignation, as news of his sacrifice spread around the corporation's offices throughout Britain.

From Belfast to Guernsey, Glasgow to Cardiff, employees demonstrated their support for the outgoing director general - and resentment of the Government - by walking out. But the most dramatic scenes were at BBC Television Centre in west London, where Mr Dyke was mobbed as he returned, possibly for the last time, to the corporation's headquarters.

At least 1,000 staff gathered on the pavement in Wood Lane within an hour of Mr Dyke's announcement, brandishing hastily produced banners proclaiming, "Bring back Greg.'' Some sent Mr Dyke an early Valentine's message, waving hearts with the words, "We love you Greg''; others implored motorists to "Honk for Greg''.

One female worker said: "I looked out of the window and, at first, I thought it was the audience for Top of The Pops. Then management said, 'We are all going downstairs, are you coming out with us?' There is a certain amount of resentment at the Government's smugness about [the Hutton inquiry] and general shock and incredulity.''

The crowd became quite feverish when the subject of the protest pulled up outside the BBC building, surging forward as Mr Dyke emerged from his car, sweeping him along. Mr Dyke spoke for a few minutes to his former employees, inaudible to most but heartily applauded all the same. His route into the building was lined by clapping staff.

Mr Dyke had summed up the feelings of the staff earlier by reading one of the many e-mails he had received. It read: "No matter what the future brings, please know that you have made us proud to be part of the BBC and we will support you, whatever you do." Mr Dyke said later that people had cried in his office.

There were further walkouts by hundreds of staff in Glasgow and Cardiff. BBC Somerset Sound, the local radio station, stopped broadcasting for one minute yesterday afternoon in protest. According to insiders, many employees spent more time yesterday watching the drama unfold on the BBC's News 24 channel than getting on with their work. Unions said they supported the protests and have called a national demonstration next week in support of journalistic independence.

There was no doubt that the departure of Mr Dyke - apparently because the Government did not consider his initial statement of apology or the resignation of Gavyn Davies a sufficient response to the criticisms of the Hutton report - is an unprecedented blow to the morale of the BBC.

An official BBC spokeswoman said: "It's a very difficult time for BBC staff. We understand how they are feeling.'' Richard Ayre, the former controller of BBC editorial policy, was more direct. He said it was a "seismic shock", pointing out there was a distinct difference between Mr Davies, who was distanced from staff as the chairman, and Mr Dyke, who was in day-to-day control. Mr Ayre said: "He was a fantastically popular director general. He was very visible; he was very matey with his staff. I think there are hundreds and hundreds of programme makers who will be genuinely shocked now. It is going to be an extremely difficult period ahead."

One BBC journalist said: "The [editorial] managers have gone mad. They're checking every line [of copy].'' Another journalist said: "The climate here is awful."

The employees at Television Centre in White City came to support a man they considered inspirational and egalitarian. Many praised his stance on equal opportunities and his "down to earth'' habit of communicating changes to staff by e-mail or video. Others had stories of how he had personally helped them.

Susan Hodgetts, a personal assistant, said: "A friend of mine, a librarian, went up to him and said he wanted to further his career. He arranged for an assessment with a career guidance person and he remembered him the next time he met him." Lisa Henshall, a secretary, said: "Greg was just really charismatic. He inspired us and made us feel like we could all make a difference. I have seen people walking around in tears. We were expecting criticism [from the Hutton report] but we were expecting something a bit more balanced. Blair was far too smug and I am not voting for him ever again.''

The protest, for many, was a defiant message to politicians that they would not be bullied into resignations; that the BBC would not be made a "scapegoat''. Mr Dyke's resignation proved the final straw for thosealready "shocked and surprised'' at the inquiry's findings.

Arthur Haynes, a data architect, said: "This protest shows we support Greg. What he said [on Wednesday] was true. He admitted mistakes in certain areas but they were right to publish the story. We do not want government coercion affecting the BBC.''