BBC admits it ‘fell brief and failed folks’ over Tim Westwood | Tim Westwood

The BBC has admitted it “fell brief and failed folks” – together with its personal employees – and apologised after discovering proof of “bullying and misogynistic” behaviour by its former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood.

A £3.3m exterior inquiry revealed on Tuesday discovered the broadcaster “missed alternatives” through the DJ’s twenty years on the organisation that would have led to motion. The inquiry was triggered by a 2022 Guardian and BBC Information joint investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour by the DJ.

Main KC Gemma White, who heard from greater than 120 folks through the inquiry, discovered that whereas there was no “vital BBC information of allegations or considerations about sexual misconduct” by Westwood, there have been “a spread of things which should have alerted the BBC to the chance that [he] would possibly current a threat to younger ladies and women”.

The BBC board, which commissioned the evaluate in 2022, added that the allegations “have been handled in isolation relatively than being introduced collectively. Had this occurred, the BBC might have seen a sample of behaviour that it may have acted on.”

Apologising to these affected it stated: “There’s proof of bullying and misogynistic behaviour on the a part of Mr Westwood and the plain reality is that his normal conduct was totally incompatible with BBC values – not simply now, however then. The organisation fell brief and failed folks – together with our personal employees – who had a proper to anticipate higher from us.”

The inquiry comes nearly three years after a joint investigation by the Guardian and BBC Information through which seven ladies accused Westwood, 67, of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour.

The DJ – who turned one of many best-known names in hip-hop after internet hosting BBC Radio 1’s first Rap Present in 1994 – denied all of the allegations, with a spokesperson saying they have been “fully false”.

A little bit greater than 24 hours after the publication of the allegations, and the printed of the BBC Three programme Tim Westwood: Abuse of Energy, Westwood stepped down from his present on Capital Xtra.

An additional 10 ladies made claims of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour towards Westwood in one other joint investigation in July. The report included a declare from a girl who stated Westwood first had intercourse together with her within the early Nineteen Nineties when she was 14 and he was in his 30s. Westwood didn’t reply when contacted in regards to the allegations.

The ladies’s tales provoked a felony inquiry by the Metropolitan police, throughout which the DJ was questioned below warning by officers.

The BBC exterior report – which was delayed after a request from the Metropolitan police – particulars various new allegations towards Westwood. They embody 22 testimonies from members of the general public, 18 of that are redacted to guard a felony investigation, in line with a supply on the BBC.

They embody an allegation that Westwood “hounded” a 17-year-old lady, invited a 15- or 16-year-old lady again to his dwelling after an under-16s evening and repeatedly talked in regards to the breasts of a 1Xtra drive-time present visitor. Westwood’s attorneys advised the inquiry that “has by no means had any sexual curiosity in kids below the age of 16”, had not acted in a “predatory and/or sexual method” and “didn’t (and doesn’t) current any threat to younger ladies, on the BBC nor elsewhere”.

Employees members who had labored with Westwood stated he had left colleagues in tears, however many felt unable to complain due to the “feeling that … that senior administration have been prone to aspect with presenters” and a notion that the DJ was “shut” with high BBC figures.

Westwood – who declined to participate within the evaluate – denied bullying and harassment. His attorneys stated that on events he had confronted a few of his colleagues’ “poor perspective to work” and accepted that this “contributed to a divisive environment” in some groups.

White discovered proof of senior administration “reacting firmly” to public complaints in regards to the DJ, and desirous to create an atmosphere the place staff may increase considerations. However a “lack of ritual” was prone to have left staff not feeling assured that considerations in regards to the DJ “can be correctly addressed.”

Sophie*, who gave proof to the inquiry after talking to the Guardian and BBC Information, stated the apology from the BBC “not ok”.

“He’s not the primary, undoubtedly gained’t be the final,” she stated. “It’s good that it has come out, as a result of everyone needs to be accountable for his or her actions. I hope one thing constructive can come from it, however I really feel prefer it’s only a tick field.”

The report needed to be a “watershed second” for the BBC, stated Philippa Childs, head of the Bectu union. “The evaluate’s findings all too plainly converse to the tradition of utmost energy dynamics and ‘untouchable’ expertise that persists within the artistic industries,” she stated.

The BBC introduced an unbiased evaluate into its office tradition final August after the disgraced former presenter Huw Edwards pleaded responsible to possessing indecent photographs of youngsters. It additionally apologised in January after a evaluate into the behaviour of Russell Model.

On Tuesday it stated the BBC had “been too siloed [and] deferential to excessive profile people”. That had modified “significantly” since Westwood left in 2013, and processes and insurance policies had been improved.

In November, the Met stated Westwood had been interviewed below warning on 4 separate events relating to offences alleged to have occurred in London between 1982 and 2016 and confirmed it had submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). On Tuesday, a CPS spokesperson stated it had no updates to offer on the case.