Dame Janet Smith Review

In October 2012, Dame Janet Smith was appointed by the BBC to lead an inquiry into the corporation's connection to the sexual abuse committed by Jimmy Savile, a popular television and radio host.

[2] Their investigation on Savile, Operation Yewtree, was completed in December 2012 and their report on his alleged offending, Giving Victims a Voice, was released the following month.

[5][6] In January 2014, it was claimed in The Observer that Smith's review had concluded Savile had abused "many hundreds and potentially up to 1,000 people" on BBC premises, according to a source connected with the investigation.

Smith stated that some BBC staff members were aware of complaints against Savile but did not pass the information to senior management due to the "culture of not complaining."

The report found that some BBC staff members were aware he was bringing underage girls into his dressing room for sex, but his "untouchable" celebrity status stopped them from passing complaints to senior management.

The report criticised the BBC for failing to properly investigate allegations made by a 15-year-old Top of the Pops audience member, Claire McAlpine, who claimed Blackburn seduced her in 1971 and killed herself not long afterwards.