The BBC’s Director General has announced an independent inquiry to examine any "failing" in the handling of an abandoned investigation into Jimmy Savile to clear the "cloud of suspicion" over the decision.
Mr Entwistle said he "made clear my revulsion" at the thought that criminal assaults were carried out by somebody employed by the BBC.
He also offered a "profound and heart-felt apology on behalf of the BBC" to Savile's alleged victims.
The BBC's reputation is increasingly under fire after an avalanche of allegations that the corporation was aware of claims about Savile's actions, but did nothing about them.
David Nicolson, who worked as a director on Jim'll Fix It, claimed to have caught Savile having sex with a girl in his dressing room, but was laughed away when he voiced his concerns, The Sun said.
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps told BBC1's Question Time last night that it "seems unimaginable" that people at the BBC were unaware of the child abuse allegations.
He said: "What happened now appears to be outrageous.
"It's particularly disturbing that a programme paying tribute, a three-parter, went out just last Christmas after it was already known at senior levels within the BBC that something was wrong, enough to have had a serious Newsnight programme made about it and enough to raise serious concerns.
"I do think there are definitely questions that do need answering."
Mr Shapps backed calls for Savile to be stripped of his knighthood, saying "it can't be right" that he remains a Sir in name following the allegations.
He said: "I would be in favour of the Forfeiture Committee taking a close look at this."
Meanwhile Scotland Yard has said it is pursuing 340 lines of inquiry in the Jimmy Savile abuse case, including 40 potential victims.
