BBC Jimmy Savile reviews cost £5 million

The BBC has spent around £5 million investigating the Jimmy Savile sex scandal and its aftermath.

The annual report and accounts reveal the Pollard Review, which looked at why the BBC dropped a Newsnight investigation into the disgraced TV presenter, accounted for almost half of that.

It cost £2.4 million which included £101,000 to cover the "legal and related costs" of Helen Boaden who was heavily criticised in the report.

Figures show the cost of the review and subsequent investigations into respect at work and the BBC's culture and practices while Savile worked there have cost £4.9 million excluding tax and VAT up to the end of March.

A third investigation, which will also examine the case of recently jailed Stuart Hall, will be published later this year sending the final bill even higher.