BBC DJ Westwood hit by sex scandal
Ex-Radio 1 star accused of exploiting and groping women in string of incidents spanning 25 years
‘Felt completely powerless’
FORMER Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood was yesterday accused of sexually exploiting and groping a string of women over the course of 25 years.
The bishop’s son, 64, who spent nearly two decades at the BBC, allegedly promised to help some victims with their careers – including offers of work experience on Radio 1 – before forcing himself on them.
Three women have accused the hiphop DJ of opportunistic and predatory sexual behaviour. In addition, four others allege he groped them at events.
All seven women were black and aged in their late teens to early 20s at the time of the alleged incidents between 1992 and 2017, the BBC and Guardian reported in a joint investigation.
The women came forward after anonymous allegations of inappropriate behaviour about Westwood started circulating on social media in June 2020. The DJ denied any wrongdoing at the time. A spokesman for Westwood said yesterday that he ‘strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour’, adding: ‘In a career that has spanned 40 years, there have never been any complaints made against him officially or unofficially. Tim Westwood strongly rejects all allegations of wrongdoing.’
Two women say they agreed to come to London to meet the DJ to discuss music as they were hoping to work in the industry. They accuse Westwood of picking them up from the train station in his car and driving them to his flat, where he forced himself on them.
One – who was just 19 at the time, while Westwood was 53 – said she to help her R&B career in the was made to feel ‘completely powerless’. early 1990s. She alleges she was She claims he ‘exposed his subjected to ‘unwanted oral sex’ genitals’ in the car before taking as he had ‘absolute power’ when her back to his flat, where he had they met up. sex with her. ‘He could make or break your
The other, who was 20 at the career,’ she said. ‘If you wanted to time, described having to ‘submit’ get any kind of exposure, you after being driven to Westwood’s would try to get your demo to him home, where she felt and pray that he would play it.’ ‘trapped’. A third woman was 17 The woman, who now has a and living in the capital when daughter in her 20s, came forward she claims Westwood promised after becoming concerned that club nights hosted by Westwood could give him regular contact with young women. Four more alleged victims claim Westwood put his hands down their trousers or groped their breasts after they asked for photos with him at events. One described meeting him at a nightclub in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, in 2009. As she and a friend posed for a photograph with the DJ, she recalls him saying ‘let me grab some ass’ before putting his hand down the back of her denim shorts. She says she ‘froze’ and felt ‘very intimidated’.
Another woman told the BBC that after seeing Westwood DJ in Essex, she felt his hand snake down her back before he grabbed her bottom while they posed for a picture. She was just 19 at the time. ‘I felt his hand go back up. And stopped at my neck. And do you know, in that moment I was kind of frozen,’ she said.
None of the seven women know each other and none have reported Westwood to the police. Their accounts were set to air last night in the BBC Three documentary Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power.
One of the biggest names in hiphop and rap in the UK for 40 years, Westwood has rubbed shoulders with household names including Madonna and Kanye West.
The DJ began his career with local radio before stints at Kiss FM and Capital in London. After joining Radio 1 in 1994, he was credited with providing a platform for fresh talent.
He left the BBC in 2013 after nearly 20 years and returned to
‘He could make or break careers’
‘Inappropriate behaviour’
Capital Radio. He now presents on Capital Xtra.
In 2020, Westwood denied allegations of misconduct when the hashtag #survivingTimWestwood began trending on Twitter after a woman shared messages from their four-year affair.
Web users urged CapitalXtra to investigate his behaviour towards young black women and his army of student fans – but he was allowed to continue presenting.
In October 2013, Westwood was condemned by students for ‘vulgar and sexist’ behaviour at a freshers’ event at the University of Leicester. The DJ was heard shouting into a microphone: ‘Girl in the front row with the black dress on, I will be f ****** you later.’ He told another girl: ‘Security have told me you need to wear a sports bra.’ A spokesman for Westwood denied at the time that the sexual language was harassment.
A BBC spokesman said yesterday: ‘The BBC is against all forms of inappropriate behaviour and we are shocked to hear of these allegations. The BBC has strict codes of conduct for all those engaged by the BBC, including on-air presenters.’