The BBC has forced about 20 former members of staff to sign gagging contracts banning them from speaking out about their experiences of bullying or sexual harassment at the corporation, it was claimed today.
Critics accused the BBC of “hypocrisy” in using licence fee payers’ money to silence its own ex-employees while vowing to change the culture that allowed Jimmy Savile to continue sexually abusing children for decades while working for the broadcaster.
Among those the BBC has tried to gag are Miriam O'Reilly, the former Countryfile presenter who won a landmark age discrimination claim against the corporation, and Liz Mackean, the Newsnight journalist whose original investigation into Savile’s paedophile activities was axed, The Sunday Times reported.
Ms O’Reilly told the paper that other staff who suffered harassment had contacted her saying they felt they had no choice but to sign the gagging clauses if they were to receive freelance work from the BBC in the future.
She said: “I spent 25 years being told by the BBC that we uphold freedom of speech and now it takes that away to uphold its corporate reputation.”
Another woman, who signed one of the gagging “compromise agreements” when she left the BBC recently, told The Sunday Times: "This is taxpayers' money being spent to stop me talking about discrimination against women in the BBC."
The BBC has appointed barrister Dinah Rose QC to examine its policies on sexual harassment and bullying following the Savile scandal. More than 850 people have contacted the review team to raise concerns.
About 20 individuals who had signed gagging agreements were only able to speak to the inquiry after trade unions intervened, The Sunday Times reported.
Meanwhile, Ann Olivarius, a lawyer who has won record-breaking settlements for victims of sexual harassment in America, said she has been approached by more than two dozen women who claim they were bullied or suffered sex discrimination at the BBC.
A BBC spokesman said: “No member of BBC staff, either past or present, has been prohibited in any way from taking part in the ‘Respect at Work’ review, prepared with the assistance of Dinah Rose QC.
"Working alongside the BBC’s own HR department, Rose will assist the BBC in reviewing its policies and processes relating to sexual harassment and ensuring existing structures and resources are properly deployed to guarantee support to any complainant.”
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