BBC Editor 'Steps Aside' Over Savile Scandal

The Newsnight editor who dropped an investigation into claims Sir Jimmy Savile sexually abused people "is stepping aside", the BBC has said.

Peter Rippon, who says he dropped the report for editorial reasons, will leave his role with "immediate effect" while an independent review into the BBC's treatment of the Savile crisis is carried out.

The corporation has also published corrections to a blog post by Mr Rippon, which had aimed to explain his decision to drop the programme's investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by the late presenter.

In a statement, the BBC described the inaccuracies as "deeply concerning".

It said: "It is apparent from information supplied by the Newsnight editor and programme team - that the explanation in a blog by the editor of his decision to drop the programme's investigation is inaccurate or incomplete in some respects."

It said, while the blog insisted Newsnight had no evidence against the BBC, there were some allegations of abusive conduct on BBC premises.

The blog also claimed all the women spoken to by the programme had contacted the police and that Newsnight had no new evidence that would have helped the police. But the BBC now says, in some cases, women had not spoken to the police and the police were not aware of all the allegations.

Questions over how director-general George Entwistle has handled the crisis

Prime Minister David Cameron has called the developments "disturbing", saying: He said: "The nation is appalled, we're all appalled, by the allegations of what Jimmy Savile did and they seem to get worse by the day."

A documentary is to lift the lid on the extent to which senior managers of the corporation were aware of the Savile abuse claims.

A special edition of Panorama reveals fresh evidence about what the BBC knew of Savile's decades of child abuse and its investigation into why Newsnight spiked its probe into the scandal, sparking allegations of a cover-up.

The BBC flagship programme, which airs tonight, examines why corporation chiefs - including the director-general - gave different explanations why Newsnight was dropped and what it was about.

Mr Rippon maintains the piece - which was due to run last December - was pulled for editorial reasons, and not because the potentially damaging revelations coincided with a planned tribute to the star.

But the hour-long documentary will hear from Newsnight producer Meirion Jones and reporter Liz MacKean, who both claim they had interviewed at least four alleged victims of Savile - and confirmed with Surrey Police that officers had investigated sex abuse complaints against the Jim'll Fix It star in 2007.

The journalists say that, when they told bosses the Crown Prosecution Service did not charge Savile because of insufficient evidence, they were told to end the investigation - and the show was withdrawn.

BBC director-general George Entwistle said it would be "inappropriate" for him to comment ahead of the broadcast, as he has not yet seen the programme. The programme also calls into question Mr Entwistle's handling of the crisis in the days after it broke.

Police say they have identified more than 200 potential victims

The abuse stories about Savile only fully emerged after ITV broadcast a documentary at the start of this month - sparking controversy at the BBC over losing its scoop and leading to the cover-up allegations.

John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which will take evidence from Mr Entwistle on Tuesday, said they would want to know why he did not seek more information about the Newsnight investigation.

Mr Whittingdale said the most important question was why the Newsnight segment was dropped. He told Sky News: "Whilst Panorama say there is no evidence the editor was leant on from outside, the explanations originally given look very thin today."

Panorama said it has failed to find evidence of a "BBC cover-up" over the Newsnight decision.

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