George Edward Entwistle (born 8 July 1962) is a former broadcasting executive, who was Director-General of the BBC during 2012, succeeding Mark Thompson.
Entwistle resigned as Director-General on 10 November 2012, following controversy over a Newsnight report which falsely implicated Lord McAlpine in the North Wales child abuse scandal.
On 23 October 2012, Entwistle faced the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee over questions the BBC had failed to broadcast a Newsnight investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Savile after the presenter's death in 2011.
Entwistle was accused by Lisa O'Carroll of The Guardian of giving a "less than authoritative performance, showing a lack of curiosity about Newsnight's investigation" and "leaving the impression of a director general not entirely in command of his operation.
"[16] Entwistle resigned as BBC Director-General on 10 November 2012, following controversy over a Newsnight report which indirectly and incorrectly implicated Lord McAlpine in the North Wales child abuse scandal.
[18] He commented "In the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2 November, I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of director general.
"[19] Entwistle was publicly supported by Jeremy Paxman, Michael Crick, John Ware, Stephen Fry and Ben Bradshaw.
[citation needed] In 2013, Entwistle enrolled as a Master's student at St Catherine's College, Oxford, studying the history of design.