Shamed ... Jimmy Savile as rising star in 1960s
THOUSANDS of appalled Sun readers yesterday joined The Sun’s campaign to strip Jimmy Savile of his knighthood.
More than 40 women and at least one man have already come forward to say Savile abused them as youngsters.
The Corporation’s director general Mr Entwistle said they had “gone through something awful and something I deeply regret”.
He promised a BBC investigation into the abuse once a police probe was over — having earlier ruled out an internal inquiry.
And he hinted Savile could have had accomplices inside the BBC who helped cover up his tracks.
Mr Entwistle said: “This is an awful business. These are awful allegations.”
Referring to the alleged victims, he said: “I would like to deeply apologise on behalf of the organisation to each and every one of them for what they have had to endure here.”
He added the BBC would do everything it could to aid the police probe but stressed: “The police are the only properly constituted authority for dealing with criminal investigations. We have to start by putting the BBC at the disposal of the police.”
Apology ... BBC boss George Entwistle
He added: “It’s vital to make sure we do nothing that would compromise a criminal examination of events.”
Hinting that someone at the BBC was aware of Savile’s alleged crimes he said: “If people knew, they had seen something themselves or been told something directly or had evidence of his behaviour, there was an enormous obligation on them to have done something about it.”
Mr Entwistle added that the BBC of today was very different from the 1970s, with a child protection policy that would have stopped anyone in Savile’s position having access to youngsters.
He spoke out as a 2ft high poster of Savile was removed from a display of famous faces at the entrance to Television Centre in West London, scene of some of the worst allegations of abuse.
One visitor told The Sun: “It was the first thing you saw while passing through the security check. People were commenting about how inappropriate it was.”
Meanwhile, Sun readers logged on in droves to sign our e-petition, which calls on the Government to change the law to revoke the disgraced DJ’s honour.
Currently no-one can be stripped of “Sir” status after they are dead, no matter what crimes come to light. But we have vowed to lobby the Government to change this — with help from YOU.
A new law, which could be passed in one afternoon, would allow the Honours Forfeiture Committee to recommend Savile’s knighthood be revoked. The Queen, acting on advice from the PM, would then be able to strike it from the books.
CORPORATION'S Director-General George Entwistle confirms probe on Radio 4's Today programme
By 9pm yesterday 4,975 Sun readers had backed our call. We will send all reader coupons and e-petitions to the Committee.
Savile, who died at 84 a year ago, was knighted in 1990.
Tory MP Rob Wilson said the British public would find it “abhorrent” if the claims were proved to be true and he was allowed to keep the honour. He added: “He will have received these awards under false pretences.”
Grave is attacked
Targeted ... bottle thrown at disgraced DJ Jimmy Savile's grave
Ross Parry
Security at the cemetery in Scarborough, North Yorks, is being reviewed after a bottle was thrown at the stone.
An inscription honouring the late DJ at Leeds Civic Hall is being removed, while the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust is considering changing its name.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4579157/thousands-demand-jimmy-savile-stripped-title.html#ixzz28lPUIRtG