Corporation outlines official response to review which detailed serious failings that allowed sexual abuse of nearly 100 people

The BBC has banned unaccompanied children from participating in its studio audiences and told staff to keep a closer eye on stars as part of its attempt to avoid repeating the mistakes that let Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall sexually abuse nearly 100 people.



In its official response to the Dame Janet Smith review, which in February detailed the serious failings that allowed Savile and Hall to commit their crimes undetected, the BBC said its protections and safeguards were now “at least equal to” those found in similar organisations.

The corporation conceded it had more work to do in some areas: it needed to ensure staff felt able to speak out when they had concerns, that executives made an effort to listen, and that freelancers were aware of internal whistleblowing policies.

One of the Smith review’s main criticisms was that those working at the BBC were still worried about reporting potential abuse and taking on the broadcaster’s stars.

The changes to the rules on audiences, which were first introduced in July, are designed to protect under-18s, who make up a “significant proportion” of the 1 million people attending BBC events each year. Savile reportedly abused young audience members during recordings of Top of the Pops.

Any exceptions, such as for the child-only Teen Choice awards, have to be signed off with the corporation’s head of child protection and chaperones and other protections must be in place. The BBC said it was planning to work with the NSPCC children’s charity to create an industry-wide approach to training chaperones.

The “deference or even adulation” of stars at the BBC was cited by the Smith review as helping Savile and Hall get away with their crimes, and the judge said attitudes to talent must be addressed more broadly.

In its response, the corporation said rules on behaviour were increasingly being written into contracts with stars, and attitudes towards what was acceptable were changing.

The BBC said: “Our policies on bullying and harassment and child safeguarding are highlighted in the contractual terms that people classified as ‘on/off air talent’ receive and stresses that acts of bullying and/or harassment are regarded as a serious breach of contract and could place their continued engagement with the BBC at risk.”

In what may be seen as a reference to the termination of Jeremy Clarkson’s work on Top Gear following a fracas with a producer, it said the changes were “supported by high-profile cases where members of talent were perceived to have crossed over the line and consequences were felt”.

Other key measures the BBC highlighted were:

A network of 45 child protection officers working across the BBC who can escalate concerns, and the assigning of a member of its investigations team to work alongside child protection.



A “Speak Up” campaign, designed to encourage staff to raise concerns, will be extended to a more freelancers.



Clearer reporting lines for raising concerns and more robust investigation processes.



The removal of a layer of human resources to avoid “localised” approaches to disputes.

Better sharing of information between departments and across the “highest levels of the BBC”.

Tony Hall, the BBC’s director general, said the corporation was “now more than a match for any similar-sized organisation in terms of our policies, practices and protections”.

Rona Fairhead, the chair of the BBC Trust, said: “Preventing abuses and institutional failures of the kind recounted in the report requires constant vigilance, a strong and appropriate culture, and robust policies that meet the highest possible standards for child protection, whistleblowing, and reporting and investigating complaints.

“The BBC owes it to the survivors and to everyone it works with or whose trust is placed in it, to make sure these events can never be repeated. The trust welcomes and endorses the BBC’s report today and the clear commitment to this aim.”

Richard Scorer, a specialist abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, which represented 168 of Savile’s victims – many of whom were abused at the BBC – said his firm’s clients “welcome any steps which prevent vulnerable children having to endure the same horrors they did”.

However, he added: “Many survivors felt let down by the Dame Janet Smith review because it failed to recognise the responsibility of senior managers at the BBC. They will wonder how, therefore, meaningful lessons can be learned from such a report.

“The BBC has a lot to do to show this isn’t just an HR exercise and that it will genuinely tackle the culture of ‘reverence and fear’ of celebrities which enabled Savile to offend with impunity. It must also continually review its new procedures to make sure they are robust and fit for purpose.”



