Tony Blackburn is to return to the BBC, eight months after his acrimonious departure from the corporation. The veteran radio DJ, 73, was sacked in February over his evidence to Dame Janet Smith’s investigation into sexual abuse at the BBC.
Blackburn claimed his evidence “fell short” of the standards demanded, but he denied ever being made aware of a complaint against him by a teenager in 1971. The allegation, strenuously denied by Blackburn, was that he “seduced” Claire McAlpine after a recording of Top of the Pops. The girl later killed herself.
Blackburn said he would have been lying if he told Dame Janet otherwise and that there were no notes of the 1971 meeting when he was supposed to have been told about the allegation. He said he wished he had been investigated at the time to prove his innocence.
He will return to present an hour-long programme on BBC Radio 2 on Friday evenings. Blackburn said: “I do not seek to criticise the BBC for decisions it has made in the past. I have had a difficult year personally, but I’m pleased to be returning to the BBC and can’t wait to get behind the mic again.”
A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC stands by the findings of Dame Janet Smith and the decision it made to take Tony Blackburn off air at the start of this year based on Dame Janet Smith’s preference for the documentary evidence.” Blackburn had refused an earlier offer to resign and return after a few months, saying “I have got nothing to hide”.
