BBC Director General George Entwistle on Savile Panorama special

A BBC Panorama programme to be shown on Monday will reveal new evidence about what the corporation knew about Jimmy Savile's decades of child abuse, and why Newsnight shelved its own investigation into the scandal.

The BBC has denied claims that pressure was put on Newsnight to drop its report because of plans to screen tributes to Jimmy Savile.

The BBC's director general, George Entwistle - who is due to appear before the Commons culture, media and sport committee on Tuesday - declined to comment on the Panorama programme, but emphasised that the BBC had already set up two inquiries.