Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the allegations against Mr Westwood were “very serious” and there had been “far too many instances of appalling behaviour in the media industry”.

The BBC board admitted it did not “take adequate action”, saying: “It is clear that in the past, the BBC has not only been too siloed but too deferential to high-profile individuals.”

“The board also wants to take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the entire BBC to anyone impacted by what the review has found,” it added.

“Your voice has been heard, and the findings of the review will further fuel the drive to ensure it does not happen again.”

Gemma White KC led the report commissioned by the BBC board in 2022.

More than 120 individuals contributed to the review and thousands of records from the time were examined.

The DJ’s solicitors told Ms White:

• He denies the allegations of criminal and other misconduct and “confirms he has never had any sexual interest in children under the age of 16”.
• He has never acted in a “predatory and/or sexual manner” and “did not (and does not) present any risk to young women, at the BBC nor elsewhere”.
• He has been “denied the opportunity of presenting a defence to allegations set out in [the report] as a result of the vague nature of the allegations and the ongoing police investigation”.

Mr Westwood, who has not responded to the BBC’s requests for comment, had a gig in Oyo state in Nigeria on Monday.

The report highlighted some staff felt uncomfortable raising grievances with management about the DJ.

Those who spoke to Ms White referenced:

• “A feeling that they could not raise issues with the controller or other people in senior management because of the importance of the ‘talent’ to Radio 1/1Xtra.
• “A feeling that presenters were valued over production staff and that senior management were likely to side with presenters.”

She noted evidence of senior management “reacting firmly” to public complaints about the DJ, along with “evidence of their intention to create an environment in which employees would feel able to raise concerns”.

But the “lack of formality adopted” towards concerns raised about workplace misconduct, and the “type of material broadcast on air” were likely to have resulted employees not feeling confident that workplace conduct concerns about the DJ “would be properly addressed.”