BBC's Jimmy Savile probe to be led by Harold Shipman inquiry judge - Telegraph.co.uk

Earlier in the day, Nick Clegg, the deputy Prime Minister, said there may be a case for a public inquiry as Savile's alleged ability to abuse in so many areas of public life shows the "dark side" of celebrity.

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, previously called for the Government to take a "broad look" at the "horrific allegations" embroiling Savile, who died last year at the age of 84.

The BBC and police inquiries were prompted after ITV broadcast interviews with a series of women claiming to have been assaulted by Savile in the 1970s.

Since its programme was aired, dozens more women have come forward with allegations about Savile, while presenters Liz Kershaw and Sandi Toksvig, have said they were routinely groped by more senior male colleagues at the BBC.

Some of the evidence about Savile collected by a former child protection officer had previously been rejected by the BBC's Newsnight, which went on to show programmes celebrating its star's life and charity works.

Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary, on Monday suggested the Newsnight investigation was "inappropriately pulled", although her office later claimed she had not meant to say that.

George Entwistle, the BBC's director-general, will face questions over the decision when he appears before the culture, media and sport committee of MPs as early as next week.

Mr Entwistle has said he was aware Newsnight was investigating Savile last year, when he was the head of BBC Vision, but claims he did not ask about the investigation in case he was accused of meddling.

He is likely to be asked why the BBC decided to screen tribute programmes to Savile after his death last year without finding out more about the Newsnight investigation.

Kevin Marsh, editor of the BBC College of Journalism and a former editor of Radio 4's Today programme, said the "real and present danger" to the BBC and to Mr Entwistle was the question: "Why didn't the head of Vision shelve the tributes once he knew that a BBC programme – or indeed any other part of the media – was finally investigating Savile?"

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, Jeremy Vine, the Radio 2 presenter and former Newsnight journalist, said it would be a scandal if anyone at the BBC had allowed the "hagiographies" about Savile's life to be aired if they knew the details of the Newsnight investigation.