A FORMER pupil of a school in St Asaph who was sacked as CEO of the publicly-funded Welsh channel, S4C, last month, had a “dictatorial” leadership style, a report had shared.

Sian Doyle, who was educated at Ysgol Glan Clwyd, left the role on November 24, having held it since January 2022, after investigations into bullying allegations at the channel.

Yesterday (December 6), a 17-page independent report by commercial law firm Capital Law into the working environment and atmosphere at S4C was published.

READ MORE:

Ex-St Asaph pupil sacked as S4C chief executive amid 'toxic culture'

Ex-St Asaph pupil hits back at S4C chairman after sacking as CEO

The firm was given evidence by 92 individuals, with Ms Doyle’s behaviour highlighted as the “most significant negative impact on the working environment and atmosphere within S4C”.

Of the 116 examples of behaviour received by the firm, 101 were categorised as “bad” and the other 15 as “good”.

An example of Ms Doyle’s alleged “bad behaviour” was her making disparaging comments about S4C programmes and their presenters.

In relation to a specific programme, the Chief Executive was reported as saying: "who the f*** are (redacted presenter names)? Who is watching this rubbish?"

Out of the 92 individuals, meanwhile, 37 were of the view that her leadership style was “confrontational, abusive and inconsiderate”, as well as being “dictatorial, creating a culture of fear”.

At least one incident was described to the firm where “upsetting behaviour” and “challenging body language” reduced a staff member to tears, with others needing to comfort them.

Ms Doyle was also said to have regularly used the phrase “shoot one, and a thousand tremble”.

One of the individuals told the firm: "I've worked under five chief executives, a good relationship, a number of chairmen, with an interim chief executive and I have never felt so worthless as I was working for Sian."

A total of 10 of the 92 were said to have broke down in tears while giving evidence, while 11 said S4C had a "detrimental effect on their health," according to the report.

An individual also said: "The chief executive had put me in a very nasty position, many other staff too; I was aware of that.

"But my friends and my family worried a lot about my mental health at the time. I had become very tearful. I couldn't sleep."

Capital Law is independent of S4C and has not worked for the channel for at least five years, the report states.

The report did not make any recommendations.

Half of the 92 participants were current S4C employees, while 14 had previously worked for the channel.

Ms Doyle said she was “saddened” to read the report and did not “recognise or accept the allegations made”.

She added: “For clarity, I had no notice that the report would be published today, have not been offered a right of reply by S4C and first read the report in the media.”

“I called last week for an urgent investigation by department for culture, media and sport into the leadership and governance of S4C and the nature of the way this report has been presented.

“I restate that call today; S4C’s employees, and the people the organisation serves, deserve better.”