No more special treatment for BBC 'talent', report says

The headquarters of the BBC is displayed outside on July 25, 2015 in London, England. Photo / Getty

Diva-like behaviour will no longer be tolerated among celebrities employed by the BBC, a report has vowed, as it warns allowances will not be made for bad behaviour by "the talent".

The BBC said the "attitudes and allowances of the past toward 'the talent' are no longer seen as acceptable".

In a report published in response to the Dame Janet Smith review, which investigated sexual abuse at the corporation, the BBC said it had pledged to prove to staff that stars were to be treated in the same way as ordinary members of staff.

Tony Hall, the director-general, has promised the BBC will be vigilent. Photo / Getty

The Dame Janet Smith review had said that celebrities had been "treated with kid gloves and were virtually untouchable", detailing the many victims of DJ Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall over five decades from 1959.

In its response, published today, the BBC said it would "continue to do more" to change its general approach towards its stars.

Jeremy Clarkson. Photo / Getty

"The attitudes and allowances of the past toward 'the talent' are no longer seen as acceptable and we are encouraged to hear that there is a sense that our approach is improving, supported by some high-profile cases where members of talent were perceived to have crossed over the line and where consequences were felt", it said.

Following the Dame Janet Smith review, the BBC has also looked at its practices towards child protection, complaints and whistleblowing procedures.

Policies in place include a network of trained child protection advisers across the BBC and rules that all under-18s must be accompanied to corporation events by an adult.

Lord Hall, the director-general, said that the corporation was now a "different place" but that it was "not complacent".

Jimmy Savile, whose crimes were details in the Dame Janet Smith review. Photo / Getty

"A lot has happened since these terrible crimes first emerged. As Dame Janet's review showed offenders are often devious and cunning; they operate in all walks of life and often in plain sight," he said.

"No area of society, profession, or environment is immune. That is why we all have to be vigilant and have the best possible policies and processes."

He added: "The BBC is now a different place, but we are not complacent and neither should others be. We hope our full response will also help other organisations and we will continue to seek to learn from them.

"As we move into the new Charter period, I want us to be sure that the BBC of the future is always mindful of the lessons from the past."