LONDON (CNN) -- Two British Broadcasting Corporation executives have "stepped aside" pending a review into the BBC's handling of allegations of sex abuse surrounding its late TV presenter Jimmy Savile, the media organization said Monday.


The moves by the BBC's director and deputy director of news represent fallout over separate sex abuse claims in recent months that have rocked one of the world's oldest and most respected media organizations.

They follow the weekend resignation of George Entwistle as director general after the BBC's Newsnight report that falsely implicated a former senior political official in a child sex scandal.

News Director Helen Boaden and her deputy, Steve Mitchell, have been asked to "surrender all their responsibilities" pending the outcome of the review, the BBC said in a statement.

"The BBC wants to make it absolutely clear that neither Helen Boaden nor Stephen Mitchell had anything to do with the failed Newsnight investigation into Lord McAlpine," the former political official, the statement said.

"Whilst recognizing this, the BBC believes there is a lack of clarity in the lines of command and control in BBC News as a result of some of those caught up in the ... review being unable to exercise their normal authority."

The BBC said it expects the two to return to their positions following the conclusion of its independent review.

On November 2, BBC's Newsnight aired the sex abuse claims against a senior political figure of the 1980s. Days later, the victim admitted he had identified the wrong man.

The BBC aired on apology Friday, but it did little to contain the fallout from the false accusation.

It was the second major crisis to hit the BBC within months.

In late September, the BBC became embroiled in a scandal over its handling of sex-abuse allegations against Savile.

The scandal exploded amid revelations that Newsnight pulled a report into allegations against Savile ahead of a planned tribute to the late TV presenter by the news organization.

Entwistle and others were called in front of lawmakers to answer for the scandal surrounding Savile, who authorities say was suspected of having sexually abused young women and girls, sometimes on BBC premises.

"Consideration is now being given to the extent to which individuals should be asked to account further for their actions and, if appropriate, disciplinary action will be taken," the BBC said.

Boaden was director of BBC News when the decision was made to pull the Savile report, the BBC reported.

"Ms. Boaden has overall editorial and managerial responsibility for UK-wide and global news and current affairs on radio, television and online," the BBC said.

The news about Boaden came the same day the BBC announced it was reestablishing a single management team "to address the lack of clarity around the editorial chain of command."

The announcement followed the findings of a BBC review into the Newsnight broadcast that falsely implicated the political official, said Sonia Cooper, the BBC's chief press officer.

A public statement about the findings was expected later Monday, she said.

The moves came as the former director general of the BBC, Mark Thompson, started his first day of work Monday as chief executive of The New York Times.

"Look, like many people I'm very saddened by recent events at the BBC, but I believe the BBC is the world's greatest broadcaster and I've got no doubt it will once again regain the public's trust both in the UK and around the world," he told CNN as he entered the newspaper's lobby in Midtown Manhattan. "It is a very important institution, and I believe it is full of people with real integrity and talent, and I have no doubt it will get back on its feet really soon."

Referring to the upheaval, Thompson predicted that "it will not in any way affect my job, which I'm starting right now."

CNN's Richard Allen Greene and Alexander Felton contributed to this report.

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