The BBC has admitted that it “fell brief and failed individuals” by failing to deal with “bullying and misogynistic” behaviour by former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood.
The company issued an apology after a major external inquiry by barrister Gemma White discovered that there had been “missed opportunities” that would have led to motion.
In a press release, the BBC stated that whereas the report discovered “no widespread or vital BBC information of allegations or issues about predatory sexual behaviour”, it was clear there had been “situations the place the organisation missed alternatives that may have led to motion”.
“The organisation fell brief and failed individuals – together with our personal employees – who had a proper to count on higher from us,” the assertion stated.
“The board [wants] to take this chance to apologise on behalf of all the BBC to anybody impacted by what the overview has discovered. Your voice has been heard, and the findings of the overview will additional gasoline the drive to make sure it doesn’t occur once more.”
Westwood, 67, who in 2022 was accused of historical sexual abuse allegations by multiple women in a joint investigation by The Guardian and the BBC, has beforehand stated that he “strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour”.
Tim Westwood denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour (PA)
The Metropolitan Police stated on the time that detectives had been investigating accusations of offences alleged to have taken place between 1982 and 2016. The investigation is ongoing and Westwood has been interviewed on at least four occasions beneath police warning.
Ms White’s report said that Westwood declined her invites to satisfy or contribute to the overview in writing, citing the police investigation.
In a press release for the report despatched by way of his solicitors, he strongly denied that his behaviour “ever amounted to bullying or harassment” and claimed that some individuals “behaved poorly in the direction of him”.
Individuals who shared their allegations in opposition to Westwood with the report stated they had been “involved that they’d not be believed or could be blamed” for his alleged behaviour, as he was “very talked-about so nobody needed to hear”.
“A typical theme amongst those that reported allegations was that they didn’t know or perceive on the time that the behaviour which that they had described to me was incorrect,” the report discovered.
“Some stated that they had solely realised once they had been older, or just lately. One particular person referred to not understanding on the time what sexual assault was.”
The BBC admitted it ‘fell brief’ and missed alternatives that may have led to motion in opposition to Westwood (PA)
Elsewhere within the report, Westwood was stated to have, every so often, refused to talk to a few of his BBC manufacturing staff members, giving them the “silent remedy”.
Third events described observing BBC employees on his present being upset and in tears on account of the best way they had been handled by him.
The Impartial has contacted Westwood’s representatives for remark.
In 2022, the BBC confirmed it had received six complaints about Westwood, together with one referred by the police, after initially denying it had any information of the accusations in opposition to him.
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