BBC executives covered up a second paedophile who abused children in the toilets at the Corporation's studios, a leading journalist claimed.

BBC executives covered up a second paedophile who abused children in the toilets at the Corporation's studios, a leading journalist claimed.

John Simpson said a radio presenter, at the time one of the biggest names at the BBC, preyed upon youngsters after they won competitions to tour the studios and meet him.

But when Simpson, who has worked at the BBC for more than 40 years, tried to expose the predatory paedophile after his death, bosses called him an ‘idiot’ and instead told to praise the star in his obituary.

Veteran war correspondent Simpson made the claims in his 1999 autobiography Strange Places, Questionable People, first published in 1998, where he refers to the abuser as simply 'Uncle Dick'.

But in the light of the Jimmy Savile scandal they will make uncomfortable re-reading for the Corporation.

Days ago a Jim'll Fix It director claimed he made several attempts to expose disgraced Jimmy Savile to the BBC but had been ignored by bosses.

David Nicolson, 67, said he reported Savile decades ago when he caught the star having sex with a 15 or 16-year-old girl in his dressing room. Yet he was told by bosses: ‘That’s Jimmy’ and ‘that’s the way it goes’.

Claims that bosses covered up child abuse spanning 40 years by a second paedophile, said to be 'a children's favourite', will cast further doubt on the practices at the Corporation.

He claims the BBC's attempt to silence the claims went as high up as the then Director General, as reported by The Sun.

The radio presenter he claims abused children was one of the BBC's biggest names from the 1920s until his death in 1967.

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