'BBC staff ignored up to 1,000 attacks on children by predatory DJ Jimmy Savile' according to new damning report

BBC staff disregarded up to 1,000 allegations of child rape and sexual assault on the corporation's premises by predatory DJ Jimmy Savile, according to a damning review published next month.

The inquiry, led by Dame Janet Smith, will also claim that the true number of Savile's victims may never be known and that BBC executives were aware of the allegations, but consistently failed to take any action against the late Top Of The Pops presenter.

While due for publication this month, Smith's report has been delayed until February due to the large number of victim testimonies being examined.

An unnamed source close to the inquiry told The Observer that the report's conclusions will overshadow the investigation led by Nick Pollard, former head of Sky News, which sought to uncover why the BBC dropped its Newsnight programme on the Savile allegations.

The source said: 'It will go right to the heart of how Savile was able to get away with the most heinous of crimes under the very noses of BBC staff for more than 40 years.'

Smith, a former court of appeal judge, will also highlight the sheer scale of BBC employees who knew about Savile's behaviour, as well as his colleague, Stuart Hall, but remained silent.  (more...)

'BBC staff ignored up to 1,000 attacks on children by predatory DJ Jimmy Savile' according to new damning report

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BBC 'turned blind eye' to Savile sex offences on up to 1,000 boys and girls

BBC chiefs not only covered up Savile’s sexual abuse of 1,000 children on their premises, they gave him a children’s TV show