Report on Hall and Savile abuse at BBC delayed by police

Victims of abuse carried out over decades at the BBC by Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall are said to be "bitterly disappointed" that a report into the claims has been delayed at the request of the Metropolitan Police.

The report, which was compiled after the investigation interviewed 375 witnesses in connection with Savile and more than 100 about Hall, was due to be published in the second half of this month.

A statement released today by the review team said the report was "now finished".

It went on: "However, the Metropolitan Police has told the review that it is concerned that publication of the report now could prejudice its ongoing investigations into sexual abuse. As a result, Dame Janet has taken the decision that publication of the report (and its delivery to the BBC) should be delayed. The BBC is aware of, and accepts, this decision."

Abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, which represents 168 victims of Savile and Hall, Liz Dux, said the victims "want to move on with their lives".

The publication of Dame Janet Smith's report into how Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall carried out campaigns of abuse over decades at the BBC has been postponed at the request of the Metropolitan Police, according to a statement released by the review team.

A report into how Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall carried out decades of abuse while at the BBC is due to publish its findings in May.

Set up 2012, the Dame Janet Smith review has been in contact with 775 people and interviewed almost 500 witnesses.

In an update on the review's website it said it has "now finished taking evidence and it will not be accepting any new evidence."

Read: Victims reveal horror of Jimmy Savile's hospital sex attacks

The report is expected to uncover hundreds of victims and reveal a culture of ignorance that "protected" Savile.