The BBC Board has apologised after a review found it “did not take adequate action” upon learning about concerns regarding the behaviour of veteran DJ Tim Westwood. The 67-year-old former hip hop DJ previously said he “strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour” as he faces historical sexual abuse allegations from multiple women at the height of his career.
Westwood stepped down from his show on Capital Xtra in April 2022 and left Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013 after nearly 20 years. The BBC Board said in response to the review: “It is worth noting, at the outset, that the report finds there was no widespread or significant BBC knowledge of allegations or concerns about predatory sexual behaviour by Mr Westwood.
“It is clear, however, that there were instances where the organisation missed opportunities that might have led to action. “Allegations were treated in isolation rather than being brought together. Had this happened, the BBC may have seen a pattern of behaviour that it could have acted on.”.
The board also said the BBC “did not take adequate action” and added that there was “evidence of bullying and misogynistic behaviour on the part of Mr Westwood” who displayed conduct “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 Board further said they “take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the entire BBC to anyone impacted by what the review has found.”.
The BBC paused its publication of the report, carried out by barrister Gemma White KC, at the request of the Metropolitan Police in December. The review cost approximately £3.3 million, the BBC said, with more than 120 individuals contributing to it. In her findings, the report’s author Ms White said: “I have not found there to be significant BBC knowledge of allegations or concerns about sexual misconduct on Tim Westwood’s part.”.
“There were, in my view, a range of factors which ought to have alerted the BBC to the possibility that Tim Westwood might present a risk to young women and girls”, she said. People who reported allegations against Westwood told the report’s author they were “concerned that they would not be believed or might be blamed” for his behaviour.
The report said one person told Ms White that “Tim Westwood was very popular so no-one wanted to listen”. It said: “A common theme amongst those who reported allegations was that they did not know or understand at the time that the behaviour which they had described to me was wrong.”.
The report also said one alleged victim “felt they would not be taken seriously and described the conduct as being ‘so public and brazen’ that Tim Westwood clearly felt comfortable doing it”. Members of the BBC production team were left “upset and in tears” as a result of Westwood’s alleged bullying and harassment, the report added.
It said: “People referred to Tim Westwood refusing to talk to some of his BBC production team members, ‘freezing them out’ and giving them the ‘silent treatment’. “Many told me that they, and others, found it very difficult to work with him.
“Third parties described observing BBC staff on Tim Westwood’s show being upset and in tears as a result of the way they were being treated by Tim Westwood.”. Over the last couple of years, the BBC has taken action, including introducing a new anti-bullying and harassment policy, as well as a dedicated ‘support at work’ team to address bullying and harassment cases.
Ms White said in her report that Westwood declined to take part but his lawyers provided a statement that emphasised he “strongly denies that his behaviour ever amounted to bullying or harassment”. It also said some people “behaved very poorly towards him” and added that he “complained to the controller about this negative behaviour at the time and he was essentially advised to rise above it”.
It added that his decision to move to a new time slot in 2009 was “political, and the production staff made it clear that they did not agree with it.”. “The environment felt competitive and hostile. It was toxic from the outset,” his lawyers said.
The statement also said he “accepts” that he “contributed to a divisive atmosphere within some of the teams with which he worked”, having taken “issue with some of his colleagues’ poor attitude to work”. Scotland Yard previously said it is investigating accusations of offences alleged to have happened between 1982 and 2016.
Last year, the force submitted a “file of evidence” to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) regarding allegations at the height of the veteran hip hop DJ’s career and prosecutors are considering whether to bring charges against him. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: “A full file of evidence remains with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for their consideration. Detectives from the Met continue to make inquiries, with support from prosecutors.”.
