Savile and Hall: BBC ‘missed chances to stop attacks’
Dame Janet’s report highlights a number of people who either knew about Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall’s abuse, suspected it, or should have known, but failed to take action. In the report, she said:
Ted Beston, Savile’s Radio 1 producer, acted as a “provider” of young women for Savile at least once, and “must have realised” some of the girls were under-age – although he denies this – and should have reported it.
Canon Colin Semper, who worked with Savile as a producer and on his book God’ll Fix It, was praised as “a completely honest man” – and the failure to stop Savile’s behaviour had weighed heavily on his mind. However, he “clearly” had suspicions about Savile, and should have raised them with his superiors, the report said. He said on Thursday he felt “utter, utter sadness” that he had been “so angled towards the programme” that he had not seen through Savile.
Douglas Muggeridge, late controller of Radio 1 and 2 in 1973, launched two investigations into Savile in 1973 but the inquiries were more concerned with “risk of damage to the BBC’s reputation” than the welfare of the girls who might be involved with Savile.
Raymond Colley, regional television manager at BBC Manchester from 1970 to 1986, spoke to Stuart Hall about his conduct but failed to check up on the star’s behaviour – which could have stopped further abuse. He said he never knew anything about specific incidents, and if he had he would have taken action.
Tom German, late BBC Manchester editor in the 1970s, was “probably aware” Hall was having sex on BBC premises and should have shared concerns with Mr Colley, but had not known any underage girls were involved.
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