BBC Admits It Received Complaints Against DJ

The BBC has revealed it received complaints against Tim Westwood – including one that was referred to the police – despite previously insisting it was unaware of any concerns about the DJ’s behaviour.

- Alexandra Topping

The corporation says that it is reviewing six complaints relating to Westwood, including some that are in the past, raising serious questions about what it said in public after the Guardian and BBC published a joint investigation on 26 April.

The story set out allegations of sexual misconduct by the former Radio 1 DJ , which he denied , prompting statements by the director general, Tim Davie.

The day after the story broke, Davie said he had “seen no evidence of complaints” – but the BBC has now confirmed it received six, which it is assessing as part of a review it launched into Westwood’s 19-year career at the corporation.

As well as a matter that was referred to police, the BBC confirmed that Westwood was spoken to in relation to another complaint. The Guardian understands that some of these complaints were in the past and were found in BBC files – including the one referred to the police. Others were made after the publication of the story.

The BBC said the complaint it referred to the police did not relate to an allegation of physical assault , adding that it would be in a position to say more when its investigation had concluded. The police declined to comment on whether they had received or how they had handled any referral.

In a statement to the Guardian, the BBC said Davie had “set out the position as he understood it at the time”.