He was previously the editor of BBC Television's current affairs programme Newsnight, but he departed due to the controversy over his decision not to broadcast a posthumous investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile.
[7] Rippon argued that the decision was in part based on the Crown Prosecution Service reporting a lack of evidence.
[8] In October 2012, Rippon stepped aside from his role as editor pending an independent review into his decision to drop the investigation into Savile.
[10] It concluded that Rippon's decision not to air the item was "flawed" but "done in good faith" and without undue pressure from his bosses.
[11] In October 2012, the chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, when interviewed on Radio 4's The Media Show about the Savile affair, remarked "Peter Rippon is a very distinguished editor who broke the story about service companies which we've been having to deal with ever since.