E-Paper
BBC apologises for inaction over DJ Tim Westwood's 'misogynistic, bullying behaviour'
The BBC board admitted that it had “missed opportunities” to address the conduct of former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood
The BBC board issued an apology on Tuesday admitting that they did not take “adequate action” against the "bullying and misogynistic behaviour" of former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood.
The corporation released the findings of an independent review commissioned in 2022 in connection with allegations against Tim Westwood who had worked for the BBC as a Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJ between 1994 and 2013.
Also Read: BBC removes David Tennant’s ‘Beetlejuice’ joke about Donald Trump from BAFTAs coverage
The report noted that there was a “considerable body of evidence” against the former DJ, who had denied the accusations last year claiming that they were false. The BBC had previously acknowledged six complaints about bullying and sexual misconduct by Westwood.
“It is clear that in the past, the BBC has not only been too siloed but too deferential to high-profile individuals,” the corporation said in their statement, claiming that they had “missed opportunities” to address Westwood's behaviour.
The BBC also stated that the report was to be released in December 2024, but had to be withheld due to an ongoing police investigation into the case.
Also Read: Paralysed BBC journalist forced to crawl to toilet on London flight, shares heart-breaking post
More than 120 individuals contributed to the report, after allegations emerged in 2022 against Westwood's behaviour. Those who had accused Tim Westwood had also stated that they had not come forward earlier due to fears that they would not be believed by the organisation.
“The Board also wants to take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the entire BBC to anyone impacted by what the review has found. Your voice has been heard, and the findings of the review will further fuel the drive to ensure it does not happen again,” the organisation said.
They also said, “The plain fact is that his general conduct was entirely incompatible with BBC values – not just now, but then. The organisation fell short and failed people – including our own staff – who had a right to expect better from us.”
The BBC also highlighted changes in the organisation to prevent the abuse of power in their statement such as the formation of a specialist case management process to deal with serious allegations, a new anti-bullying and harassment policy and a dedicated ‘Support at Work’ team.
