The Archbishop of Canterbury has criticised the way the BBC handled sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said the BBC had not shown the same integrity over accusations of child abuse that the Catholic and Anglican churches had.

He was reflecting on changes to society over the past 60 years, in an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

The BBC said it did not recognise the accusation, and had acted transparently over Savile.

The archbishop was invited to contribute to a series looking back at Britain over the past 60 years, to mark the programme’s anniversary.

Dark areas

He said: “I think we are a kinder society more concerned with our own failures, more willing to be honest where we go wrong.

“In most of our institutions, there are still dark areas.”

When asked which, Mr Welby replied: “If I’m really honest I’d say the BBC is one.

“I haven’t seen the same integrity over the BBC’s failures over Savile as I’ve seen in the Roman Catholic Church, in the Church of England, in other public institutions over abuse.

“We may be proved wrong about that but you know that’s one area,” he said.