'BBC knew about Savile allegations'

A former BBC press officer has insisted the BBC was aware of allegations made about child abuse against Jimmy Savile in the 1970s, but they were not investigated further.

Rodney Collins said he was asked by his boss Douglas Muggeridge, the controller of BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, to investigate the possibility that the claims would be printed in the newspapers.

After speaking to various journalists, Collins said he told Muggeridge that although various members of the press had heard about the story, they would not follow it up because of Savile's popularity and charity work.