Newsnight scandal review is delayed

The Pollard review, which is examining a shelved Newsnight report into the Jimmy Savile abuse allegations, is to take about a month longer to report than expected.

The need to conduct further interviews, examine documents and prepare the document will mean it is not expected to be delivered until mid-December.

The former Sky News executive Nick Pollard, who is chairing the  review, said it was making “good progress”. It is looking into a planned news investigation into Savile late last year, which was dropped by the BBC2 programme. The axing of the report set in motion a chain of events that led to the BBC Director-General George Entwistle resigning from his post after just 54 days.

Today, the BBC fast-tracked a replacement as head of the corporation when the Royal Opera House chief executive, Tony Hall, was appointed as the new Director-General, taking over in March.

Mr Pollard was commissioned to lead the review on 16 October and his report was expected to be delivered this month. He said yesterday: “While good progress is being made, it has become clear that it will not be possible for the review to report, as originally planned, during the second half of November.

“Taking into account the need for a thorough and fair process, the further interviews planned, the need to consider additional documents and the time required for report preparation... I now expect to provide my report to the BBC by mid-December.”