Director General George Entwistle has announced the BBC will hold two independent reviews into the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse allegations.
The first internal inquiry, headed up by an independent expert, will focus on whether there was any mismanagement over the decision to drop a Newsnight documentary about the late TV presenter abusing children.
Mr Entwistle said continuing speculation over editorial decisions made by the Newsnight team were "damaging to the BBC and this is a cloud of suspicion that cannot be allowed to continue."
There are to be two investigations connected with the Jimmy Savile allegations
The director-general said he was not aware of what aspect of Savile's life was being investigated by Newsnight when a decision was taken not to broadcast the film.
Newsnight editor Peter Rippon will remain in his role pending the investigation as Mr Entwistle said he has "full confidence" in the broadcaster.
Savile raised millions for charity, especially for Stoke Mandeville Hospital
The other review, lead by an independent expert into child protection, will examine the culture and practices of the BBC whilst Jimmy Savile worked at the corporation and afterwards.
"It will also examine whether the BBC's child protection, whistle-blowing and bullying and harassment policies and practices are now fit for purpose.
"I remain confident that our existing policies are working well today," he added.
Mr Entwistle also reiterated an apology to victims of the late TV presenter
"I offer a profound apology and heartfelt apology to victims of Jimmy Savile," he said.
"I have made clear my revulsion at the thought that these have been carried out by someone employed at the BBC and on BBC premises."
"Our audience's trust in us is paramount," he added.
Allegations of abuse against the former DJ date back to the 1960s
Since ITV screened a documentary in which five women alleged they had been abused, new claims about Savile's predatory behaviour have emerged on a daily basis.
Scotland Yard is now pursuing 340 lines of inquiry in the Savile abuse case involving 40 potential victims, the force revealed today.
So far 12 allegations of sexual offences have been officially recorded but this number is increasing, Scotland Yard said.
Metropolitan Police detectives are in contact with 14 other forces as the number of allegations against the former DJ continues to rise.
An announcement will be made next week on how the BBC will deal with allegations of sexual harassment, Mr Entwistle said.
"Jimmy Savile's victims have faced years of pain. We owe it to them and to our audiences to understand how this could have happened and to make sure that everything we do makes sure that nothing like this could ever happen again," he said.
"I'm a former editor of Newsnight and one of the absolute priorities in investigating something that might touch upon the BBC is the independence of the news division from elsewhere in the organisation.
"The thing that was uppermost in my mind was an absolute determination to ensure that nobody should construe anything I had to say or think about this as a matter of any pressure."
The scandal has seen the BBC come under fire with allegations that the corporation was aware and failed to take action
David Nicolson, who worked as a director on the children's programme, claimed to have caught Savile having sex with a girl in his dressing room, but said he was laughed away when he voiced his concerns.
He told The Sun: "It was a bog standard changing room in the basement. They both quickly pulled up their pants. The girl could have been 16, maybe 15. But she was just one of many - he always had one in the room."
When he reported the incident, he said he was told: "'That's Jimmy'. I was revolted by his behaviour. They just shrugged it off, saying 'Yeah, yeah - that's the way it goes'."
Mr Nicolson added: "Everyone knew what was going on. That includes senior BBC people - chiefs at the highest levels."
It was also claimed today that Savile was banned from visiting a council-run children's home after he molested a 12-year-old girl.
A woman, who did not want to be identified, said he was told to leave the care home in his home city of Leeds after staff found him in a bedroom with the girl in the 1970s.
She told BBC Radio Leeds the girl was indecently touched by the former DJ but that a social worker advised her not to report it to the police.
The witness said that the woman in charge of the home, who seemed "uncomfortable" with Savile visiting, "ran upstairs and found him" when she realised he had taken the girl into a bedroom.
She said: "You could hear it - there were raised voices from the staff room and then she just ran upstairs.
"A social worker came down and basically he came back the next day and said it would be his word against Jimmy Savile and it would be unfair to put a girl through the procedure of a police investigation that probably will end in nothing and ruin a man's career."
Leeds Safeguarding Children Board said it had not received any complaints about Savile but encouraged anyone with concerns to report them.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he thought the Savile case was "the dark side" of Britain's celebrity culture.
"I have been thinking about this a lot because I just cannot understand how this remained hidden for so long," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"There must have been just so many people who knew what was going on in hospitals, the BBC, maybe in the police.
"I just keep asking myself why did this remain buried for so long. The only explanation I can come up with is what we are seeing is the dark side of the culture of celebrity, and actually in this case it wasn't a culture of celebrity it was the cult of celebrity.
Pictures of fans queuing in the rain to catch a glimpse of Savile's coffin
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Sir Jimmy Savile's gold coffin lies in state in Leeds, where fans can pay their respects during a three-day funeral.
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Auction of Sir Jimmy Savile's memorabilia
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Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
Sir Jimmy Savile Auction
A sale of the late Sir Jimmy Savile's possessions and mementoes has got under way with one of the late DJ's Highland suits going for £280. The tweed jacket and kilt was the first of 549 lots to go under the hammer in Sir Jimmy's home city of Leeds today. The auction, which is expected to take at least eight hours, will include gold suits, Cuban cigars and the broadcaster's beloved Rolls-Royce. The lots include thousands of items of memorabilia owned by Sir Jimmy, which are being sold to raise money for his charitable trust. His trademark tracksuits and jewellery, including a £12,000 gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, gold identity bracelet and rings, are all on offer along with the first ever chair from his Jim'll Fix It TV show. The sale kicked off at Savile Hall, at the Royal Armouries, with around 300 people packing the room and many more bidders taking part over the phone and via internet. Lot one - the Highland suit - was bought by a local man on the front row. As the auction continued, some items started to soar above their estimates. A Scottish shepherd's crook estimated to sell for between £30 and £60 went for £380. A tireless charity worker, Sir Jimmy is thought to have raised more than £40 million for good causes in his lifetime. He died just before his 85th birthday last year and requested his belongings be sold for charity after his death.
No-one should be relying on Ms Rancid for the truth........She denies now not having the conversation with a very good reputaion in the field of sex crimes.
Shy Keenan spoke to Ms Ranicd many years ago and told her that one of her clients had claimed being molested quite a few years ago. Ms Rancid is now denying that " that " conversation took place.
I have met Shy Keenan many times and she is more than devoted to het work, would not lie nor certainly make situations up.
So I think even before these enquiries go any where Ms Rancid is discredited and branded a liar as well as being trust worthy.
Twisted_Diva: No-one should be relying on Ms Rancid for the truth........She
Gosh. Two whole inquiries. Well that will lay the media feeding frenzy to rest, won't it?
Ever notice how the sexual antics of journalists are NEVER reported? Apparently it is not in the public interest for us to know how many of the journalists and publishers, who tsk-tsk so loudly at Jimmy Saville or Strauus-Kahn, are guilty of the same practices.
langej: Gosh. Two whole inquiries. Well that will lay the media
Tax dodging, crimilising single mums for profit, EU supporting, Ed Milliband worshipping, paedophile hiding, cocaine snorting, primrose hill dwelling, auto cue reading, millionaires.
More single mums are in prison today for being too poor to pay for the BBC poll tax than for burglary or prostitution.
The BBC...A mob, get rid of them.
Jacobtruth: The BBC.... Tax dodging, crimilising single mums for profit, EU
I can tell Cleggy how these things get hushed up, the establishment and those at the top look out for their own. You work in Parliament Mr Clegg and may have come across this once or twice?
tonupvicar: I can tell Cleggy how these things get hushed up,
As well, Kenneth clarke was part of Ted Heaths administartion. It was clarke who later swept away the board of governors of broadmoor and put Savile in charge of picking a new governor.
Clarke is also one of the Bilderberg attendees, with a lot of connections.
Not just a story of a DJ in the BBC
Kaisa_Chi: As well, Kenneth clarke was part of Ted Heaths administartion.
The fact that these currently alleged offences occurred over so many years under the noses of people responsible for ensuring that criminal activities did not occur under their watch deserves a very comprehensive explanation. Personally, it seems reasonable to suggest that Savile possibly blackmailed some or all of those people by using their own indiscretions against them. A a conspiracy theory in which several high ranking people in the BBC bear some involvement has potential, that and the possibility that some of Savile's colleagues may also have been involved as they would have been in close proximity. Anyone involved or acting to protect Savile should be charged with 'aiding and abetting' criminal activity. Hopefully they are not all dead!
OD4U: The fact that these currently alleged offences occurred over so
Savile - 2......Feversham School - 0.......number of investigations into child sexual abuse.....savile gets 2....the former children abused at Feversham School in Newcastle got none....maybe because there's no celebrity involved.....maybe because there is even inequality in child abuse.....all abuse is equal but some is more equal.....and deserving of press, professionals and public attention.....some abuse is more equal than others......
Don't get me wrong...the Savile investigations are very welcome....but there is a bigger picture...a full and robust inquiry into un-investigated and unresolved incidents of child sexual abuse of children in the public care.....in residential care...where there were supposed to be additional safeguards in place...someone needs to join the dots...so that radical intervention can occur....not just a tsunami of handwringing and personal failure that will go no-where when the media coverage dies down.....otherwise...it will just form another chapter in the literature of dysfuction regarding the protection of children in the UK....so it goes
Boxerdog1041: Savile - 2......Feversham School - 0.......number of investigations into child
i object to being forced to pay a 'license' fee to support the bbc, the bbc is past it's sell by date and should be shut down, what a disgrace to use public money to prop up this dodgy outfit
meandrolene: i object to being forced to pay a 'license' fee
Unfortunately, with Jimmy Savile, the horse has bolted and he is beyond the reach of justice. As for the people and organisations which covered up the abuse there should be an investigation and heads should roll. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.
GingerlyColors: Unfortunately, with Jimmy Savile, the horse has bolted and he
The BBC can not spin their way out of this one. Scapegoating Newsnight does not fill one with encouragement that an organization which essentially condoned, enabled, funded and continued to cover up what is beginning to look like a decades long paedophile ring at license fee payers expense is going to genuinely change or be able to restore public trust.
ironclaws: The BBC can not spin their way out of this
yeah but really I think Savile had so many connections he was untouchable. The BBC are implicated, but even those who complained got nowhere. And that wasnt just the BBC.
Kaisa_Chi: yeah but really I think Savile had so many connections
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PA/Huffington Post UK | Posted: 12/10/2012 18:07 Updated: 12/10/2012 22:08