BBC sorry for ‘missed opportunities’ over DJ Tim Westwood’s ‘bullying behaviour’

The BBC board has apologised over “missed opportunities” to tackle “bullying and misogynistic behaviour” by former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood.

An independent report commissioned in 2022 by the BBC into what the corporation knew about Mr Westwood’s conduct was published on Tuesday, highlighting a series of incidents and allegations that it said amounts to a “considerable body of evidence” that it failed to investigate properly.

The BBC executive admitted it did not “take adequate action”, saying: “It is clear that in the past, the BBC has not only been too siloed but too deferential to high-profile individuals.”

The BBC had previously acknowledged six complaints about bullying and sexual misconduct. In a video that appeared on social media last year, the DJ said: “It’s all false allegations.”

The report, which has cost approximately £3.3m, found “there was no widespread or significant or BBC knowledge of allegations or concerns about predatory sexual behaviour by Mr Westwood” but there were “instances where the organisation missed opportunities that might have led to action.”

The BBC says that it has since improved its processes.

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