View source for Stuart Hall (presenter)

{{Short description|English media personality (born 1929)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name              = Stuart Hall
| image             = Stuart Hall 2010.jpg
| alt               = Stuart Hall, photographed in 2010
| caption           = Hall in 2010
| birth_name        = James Stuart Hall
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1929|12|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place       = [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], [[Lancashire]], England
| death_date        = 
| death_place       = 
| death_cause       = 
| years_active      = 1959–2012
| beginyear         = 1967
| endyear           = 1991
| conviction_status = Released from prison
| conviction_penalty = 5 years (two consecutive 30-month sentences)
| criminal_charge   = [[Indecent assault]]
| victims           = at least 21 ([[Dame Janet Smith Review]])
| apprehended       = 5 December 2012 (age 82)
| imprisoned        = [[HM Prison Wymott]] (June 2013 – December 2015)
| occupation        = {{hlist|Radio broadcaster|television presenter}}
| spouse            = {{marriage|Hazel Bennett|1 March 1958}}
| children          = 3
}}

'''James Stuart Hall'''  (born 25 December 1929) is an English former media personality and convicted [[sex offender]].
He presented regional news programmes for the [[BBC]] in [[North West England]] in the 1960s and 1970s, while becoming known nationally for presenting the game show ''[[It's a Knockout]]'' (which was part of the international ''[[Jeux sans frontières]]'' franchise). Hall's later career mainly involved football reporting on [[BBC Radio]]. In June 2013, he was convicted of multiple [[sexual offence]]s against children, effectively ending his media and broadcasting career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conjur.com.br/dl/condenacao-stuart-hall-bbc.pdf|title=THE CROWN COURT AT PRESTON : 17 June 2013 : The Queen v Stuart Hall|website=Conjur.com|access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref>

==Early life==
Stuart Hall was born in [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], [[Lancashire]], the eldest son of baker James Stuart Hall, and his Irish-born wife, Mary (née Hennessey).<ref name=AutoBiog>{{cite book | title=Heaven and Hall: a prodigal life | author=Stuart Hall | isbn=0-563-53811-2 | year = 2000| publisher=BBC Worldwide }}</ref><ref name=Telg2317798/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/|title=FreeBMD Home Page|website=www.freebmd.org.uk}}</ref> He was brought up in [[Hyde, Greater Manchester|Hyde]], [[Cheshire]], and [[Glossop]], [[Derbyshire]], attending the local [[grammar school]]. Hall directed plays when at school and chaired its debating society.<ref name=bbcprofile>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22367849 |publisher= BBC News |title=Profile: Stuart Hall |date= 2 May 2013 |access-date= 2 May 2013}}</ref> While studying at the [[University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology]], he was offered a playing contract with [[Crystal Palace F.C.]] but turned it down because of the low wages.<ref name=bbcprofile/>

==Career==

===Journalism===
Hall joined the [[BBC]] in 1959 as a general reporter on ''Radio Newsreel'' and a sports journalist on ''[[Sports Report]]''.<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=TVCream/> Between 1965 and 1990, he presented [[BBC North West]]'s regional news programmes produced in [[Manchester]], originally called ''[[BBC North West Tonight|Look North]]'', then ''Look North West'' and finally ''[[BBC North West Tonight|North West Tonight]]'', alongside [[John Mundy (presenter)|John Mundy]].<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=TVCream/> During the run of ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]'' (1969–83), Hall became known nationally through live link-ups.<ref name=bbcprofile/>

In 1990, Hall moved to [[ITV Granada]]'s ''[[Granada Reports]]'', where he worked with [[Bob Greaves]] in a slot titled "Greaves and Hall".<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=TVCream>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvcream.co.uk/?tag=stuart-hall|title=Stuart Hall|publisher=TV Cream|access-date=22 January 2013|archive-date=13 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613210533/http://www.tvcream.co.uk/?tag=stuart-hall|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the 2000s, he joined [[Channel M]], a local television station in Manchester, presenting ''Hall's Heroes'' on [[Channel M News]].<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=TVCream/>

===Entertainment===
Between 1972 and 1982, Hall became particularly well known as the presenter of ''[[It's a Knockout]]'' on [[BBC One|BBC1]] and its European equivalent, ''[[Jeux Sans Frontières]]''.<ref name=AutoBiog/> He would often be overcome by laughter at the [[slapstick]] antics of the competitors. This led to his becoming a popular subject for impersonation. After the series was cancelled, Hall presented the one-off ''[[The Grand Knockout Tournament|Grand Knockout Tournament]]'' (also known as "''It's a Royal Knockout''") in 1987, and retained the rights to the programme and some costumes, which enabled him to host similar programmes and events in other parts of the world.<ref name=bbcprofile/>

Hall also presented ''Quiz Ball'' (a BBC football [[quiz show]]) between 1971 and 1972; was the original host of the long-running sports quiz ''[[A Question of Sport]]'' (at that time only broadcast in the [[Northern England|North of England]]); presented ''[[Going, Going, Gone (TV series)|Going, Going, Gone]]'' (a BBC [[antique]]s quiz show) in the late 1990s; and provided the voice-over for ''[[God's Gift (TV series)|God's Gift]]'' for [[Granada Television]]. In 2008, Hall provided his voice for a special segment on ''[[Les Dennis's Home Video Heroes]]''. In a typical episode, he would be shown a series of funny clips and there would be a 'laugh-ometer' at the bottom of the screen measuring how much he laughed.

===Football===
As a football reporter, Hall is associated with the phrase "[[The Beautiful Game]]", which he popularised, and which he reports he coined in his youth to describe football. As a lifelong [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] [[Manchester City F.C. supporters|supporter]],<ref name=AutoBiog/> he admired prolific goal-scorer [[Peter Doherty (footballer)|Peter Doherty]]'s style of playing and consequently used the phrase "The Beautiful Game" to describe Doherty.<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref>{{cite news |title=Stuart Hall |last=Harper |first=Nick |quote=The player I fell in love with and who inspired me to coin the phrase "the beautiful game" was Peter Doherty, an inside forward, my first hero. |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/may/02/newsstory.sport11 |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=2 May 2003 |access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref>

The first football match that Hall reported on was [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] versus [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] at [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough]] in 1958, where the teams shared eight goals.<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=Telg2317798/> Despite his love of Manchester City,<ref name = "city"/> he has affectionately referred to their former home ground [[Maine Road]] as the 'Theatre of Base Comedy',<ref name = "city">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/1344824.stm City will be back], [[BBC Sport]], 22 May 2001.</ref> an allusion to City's [[Manchester derby|Manchester rivals]] [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]'s home ground [[Old Trafford]], which is known as the 'Theatre of Dreams'.

During the 1970s, Hall developed a relationship with [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] manager [[Bill Shankly]] and became a regular visitor to the [[Anfield]] 'Boot Room'.<ref name=Telg2317798/> His relationship with [[Bob Paisley]] enabled him to pull off a coup, capturing the team's first [[European Cup]] final in 1977 in [[Rome]]. Smuggled into the ground as a club employee, Hall spent the match on the substitutes' bench wearing the No 14 shirt. This enabled him to get inside television footage of the team's 3–1 win over [[Borussia Mönchengladbach]].<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=Telg2317798/> As a television presenter with ''Look North'', Hall used to turn out for benefit matches, scoring twice against [[Gordon Banks]] in [[Eddie Hopkinson]]'s testimonial at [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]].<ref name=AutoBiog/><ref name=Telg2317798/>

Hall worked as a football reporter for [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] for some years. On 10 December 2009, Radio 5 Live presented a special programme, ''Stuart Hall Night'', broadcast live from the [[City of Manchester Stadium]].

==Controversies==
===Drugged policeman case===
In 1978 Hall was called as a prosecution witness during the trial of a policeman, who was accused of driving "while unfit through drink and drugs". Prior to his arrest, the officer had stopped Hall on suspicion on speeding and Hall had invited him to his house for a drink. The officer later blamed his intoxicated state on Hall having laced his drink.<ref>{{ cite news |title=TV Man Denies Putting Drug in Pc's gin |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |page=3 |date=21 Nov 1978 |last=Dunsford |first=John }}</ref> Hall denied the accusation and was never charged.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22367849 |title=Profile: Stuart Hall |publisher=[[BBC]] |page=3 |date=17 Jun 2013 |accessdate= 23 May 2024 }}</ref>

===Child sexual abuse prosecution and conviction===
In May 2012, [[Yasmin Alibhai-Brown]], a journalist and regular columnist for ''[[The Independent]]'', received an anonymous three-page letter alleging that Hall had [[child grooming|groomed]] and [[child sexual abuse|sexually abused]] the sender while she was a schoolgirl in the 1970s. The writer stated that she had been motivated to disclose her experiences by the [[Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal|reports of sexual abuse by]] [[Jimmy Savile]] after his death and by her anger at Hall's appointment as an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire|OBE]] in the [[2012 New Year Honours]]. Alibhai-Brown passed the letter to the [[Metropolitan Police]] at [[Ealing]] police station, who in turn sent it on to [[Lancashire Constabulary]], in whose jurisdiction the alleged offences had occurred. Lancashire Constabulary then began an investigation.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/how-i-exposed-stuart-halls-sex-abuse-yasmin-alibhaibrown-on-the-letter-that-kickstarted-the-investigation-8601517.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/how-i-exposed-stuart-halls-sex-abuse-yasmin-alibhaibrown-on-the-letter-that-kickstarted-the-investigation-8601517.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | title=How I exposed Stuart Hall's sex abuse: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on the letter that kick-started the investigation | newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=London |date=3 May 2013 | access-date=3 May 2013 | last1=Alibhai-Brown |first1=Yasmin|author-link1=Yasmin Alibhai-Brown}}</ref>

On 5 December 2012, police arrested Hall and charged him with three historical counts of [[indecent assault]], involving a 16- or 17-year-old girl in 1974, a 9-year-old girl in 1983, and a 13-year-old girl in 1984.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20618520 | title=Stuart Hall charged with indecent assaults | publisher=BBC News | access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9725466/Its-a-Knockout-presenter-Stuart-Hall-charged-with-child-abuse.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205235546/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9725466/Its-a-Knockout-presenter-Stuart-Hall-charged-with-child-abuse.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 December 2012 | title=It's a Knockout presenter Stuart Hall charged with child abuse | newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London | access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref> Released on [[bail]], Hall initially denied any wrongdoing, issuing a statement through his solicitor that he was "innocent of these charges".<ref name=BBC20645600>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20645600 |title=Stuart Hall 'innocent of abuse charges' says solicitor |publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=7 December 2012|access-date=22 January 2013}}</ref><ref name=Telegraph20120502>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/10032798/Stuart-Halls-guilty-pleas-follow-strenuous-public-denials.html|title=Stuart Hall's guilty pleas follow strenuous public denials|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London|date=2 May 2013|access-date=2 May 2013}}</ref> When he appeared at [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] [[Magistrates' court (England and Wales)|Magistrates' Court]] on 7 January 2013, he pleaded not guilty to all three charges. The case was committed to [[Crown Court]] for trial.<ref name=RTE20130107>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0107/361585-stuart-hall/|title=British broadcaster Stuart Hall facing sexual abuse allegations|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=7 January 2013|access-date=2 May 2013}}</ref> Hall was released on bail on condition that he [[house arrest|remained resident at his home address]] and had no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 17.<ref name=BBC20645600/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1034395/stuart-hall-denies-child-sex-abuse-charges|title=Stuart Hall Denies Child Sex Abuse Charges|work=[[Sky News]]|date=7 January 2013|access-date = 22 January 2013}}</ref> Media coverage of the case led to more women coming forward to state that Hall had also sexually abused them.<ref name=02052013TelegraphSwinford>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/10034354/Stuart-Hall-case-Pattern-at-BBC-of-turning-blind-eye-to-abuse.html |title=Stuart Hall case: 'Pattern at BBC of turning blind eye to abuse' |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=2 May 2013 |access-date=3 May 2013}}</ref>

On 22 January 2013, Hall was charged with [[rape|raping]] a 22-year-old woman in 1976 and indecently assaulting ten more girls, then aged from 9 to 17 years old, between 1967 and 1986.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21154999|title=Broadcaster Stuart Hall charged with rape|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date = 22 January 2013 | access-date = 22 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-01-22/stuart-hall-charged-with-rape-and-indecent-assault/ | work = ITV News | title = Stuart Hall charged with rape and indecent assault | date = 22 January 2013 | access-date = 22 January 2013}}</ref> Speaking to reporters after an appearance at Preston Magistrates Court on 7 February 2013, Hall again denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges "pernicious, callous, cruel and, above all, spurious".<ref name=Telegraph20120502 />

However, at a pre-trial hearing at [[Preston Crown Court]] on 16 April 2013, Hall pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault involving 13 girls aged between 9 and 17 years old. He was released on bail pending sentencing on 17 June. [[Publication ban|Reporting restrictions]] prevented the media from making the news public until 2 May, when the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] (CPS) elected not to pursue the rape charge or three other indecent assault charges relating to the same complainant, who had decided not to give evidence. Hall made a statement through his barrister issuing an "unreserved apology" to his victims.<ref name="BBC020513">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22379286|title=Broadcaster Stuart Hall admits indecent assaults|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date = 2 May 2013 | access-date = 2 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="Guardian_case1">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/may/02/stuart-hall-admits-sexual-abuse-girls | title=Stuart Hall admits to sexual abuse of girls | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London | date=2 May 2013 | access-date=2 May 2013}}</ref><ref name=20130502Channel4>{{cite web | url=http://www.channel4.com/news/stuart-hall-pleads-guilty-to-child-sex-abuse | title=Stuart Hall pleads guilty to child sex abuse | publisher=Channel 4 News | date=2 May 2013 | access-date=2 May 2013}}</ref>

On 15 July 2013, Lancashire Constabulary confirmed that five new allegations of rape and [[sexual assault]] had been made against Hall, including the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10179390/Stuart-Hall-faces-new-rape-allegations.html |title=Stuart Hall faces new rape allegations |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=15 July 2013 |access-date= 15 July 2013}}</ref> These investigations resulted in a further 16 charges of rape and indecent assault being laid against Hall in October 2013.<ref name=BBC231013>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24646305 |title=Stuart Hall charged with 15 rapes and indecent assault |publisher=BBC News |date=23 October 2013 |access-date=23 October 2013}}</ref> On 6 November, he appeared in court in relation to the new charges, but did not make any plea. He made a further appearance in court on 29 November; at a preliminary court hearing on 28 February 2014, he pleaded not guilty to raping two young girls. He went on trial at Preston Crown Court on 6 May 2014,<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2014-02-28 |title=Stuart Hall denies child rape charges |newspaper=The Guardian |agency=Association Press |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/28/stuart-hall-denies-rape-charges |access-date=28 February 2014 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> where he admitted indecently assaulting a girl under 16 but denied 20 further charges.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stuart Hall admits girl's sex assault |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27291032 |access-date=21 December 2014 |publisher=BBC News |date=6 May 2014}}</ref> On 16 May, Hall was found not guilty of 15 charges of rape and four counts of indecent assault but was found guilty on two counts of indecent assault against a 13-year-old girl.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-05-16 |title=Stuart Hall cleared of rape but convicted of indecent assault |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-27441510 |access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref>

===Sentencing===
At Preston Crown Court on 17 June 2013, Judge Anthony Russell [[Queen's Counsel|QC]] sentenced Hall to 15 months in prison.<ref name=SkyNews1606>{{cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1104682/stuart-hall-jailed-for-sex-attacks-on-girls |title=Stuart Hall Jailed For Sex Attacks On Girls|work=Sky News |date=17 June 2013 |access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref> Later the same day, the [[Attorney-General#England and Wales|attorney general's office]] announced that it had received complaints that the sentence was [[unduly lenient sentence|"unduly lenient"]]. The shadow attorney general and [[Labour Party (United Kingdom)|Labour]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Emily Thornberry]] stated that she believed Hall deserved a longer sentence given the age of his victims and the fact that he had publicly denied the offences at first.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22932222 |title=Stuart Hall jailed for 15 months for sex assaults |publisher=BBC News |date=17 June 2013 |access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref> The attorney general subsequently referred the sentence to the [[Court of Appeal (England and Wales)|Court of Appeal]] for review.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23271739 | title=Stuart Hall sex attack sentence to be reviewed | publisher=[[BBC News]] | date=11 July 2013 | access-date=15 July 2013}}</ref> On 26 July, Hall's sentence was increased to 30 months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stuart Hall jail term doubled by Court of Appeal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23460778 |access-date=21 December 2014 |publisher=BBC News |date=26 July 2013}}</ref> Following his additional conviction for indecent assault in May 2014, Mr Justice Turner sentenced Hall to a further two years and six months in prison, to run consecutively to his existing prison sentence of 30 months.<ref name="bbc230514">{{Cite news |date=2014-05-23 |title=Stuart Hall sentenced for indecent assaults |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-27540137 |access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref>

In a later ruling on the case of [[Max Clifford]], the appeal court compared Clifford's case with Hall's; Clifford had claimed innocence, but did not directly impugn his victims. In contrast, Hall had publicly denounced his victims and accused one of seeking "instant notoriety". A lawyer commented on the Clifford ruling: "Nothing Clifford did resembled the disastrous approach taken by Stuart Hall who, prior to pleading guilty to abusing them as girls, denounced his accusers as gold-diggers and liars." Clifford's actions were deemed merely to show no remorse, and not to justify an increased penalty on appeal, although ruling out a reduction in sentence due to mitigating factors; in contrast Hall's sentence was increased on appeal.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rozenberg |first=Joshua |title=Appeal court ruling on Max Clifford shows how far defendants can go |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/nov/12/appeal-court-max-clifford-defendants |access-date=21 December 2014 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=12 November 2014}}</ref>

===Civil action===
In July 2013, the media reported that 17 women were preparing to launch [[civil lawsuit|civil claims]] against Hall and the BBC, on whose premises a number of sexual assaults had allegedly taken place. Lawyers for the women confirmed that several of the claims related to alleged offences that were not part of Hall's criminal prosecution.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cheshire-today.co.uk/18266/stuart-hall-faces-flood-of-compensation-claims/ |title=Stuart Hall faces flood of compensation claims |work=Cheshire Today |date=22 July 2013 |access-date=25 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026202717/http://www.cheshire-today.co.uk/18266/stuart-hall-faces-flood-of-compensation-claims/ |archive-date=26 October 2013 }}</ref>

Following Hall's arrest for child sexual offences, [[HM Land Registry|Land Registry]] records revealed that on 22 February 2013, he had transferred his home, which he and his wife Hazel had owned jointly since 1981, into his wife's sole name. Although Hall claimed that he was getting his financial affairs in order because of a heart condition that left him at risk of sudden death, lawyers acting for his victims said they would seek a court order to nullify the transfer of the property, worth an estimated £1.2 million, on the basis that he had relinquished ownership to avoid compensation claims.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/10036625/Stuart-Hall-accused-of-dodging-payout-for-abuse-victims.html | title=Stuart Hall accused of dodging payout for abuse victims | newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London | date=3 May 2013 | access-date=6 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/may/04/stuart-hall-home | title=Stuart Hall put home in wife's name 'to avoid payouts to victims' | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London | date=4 May 2013 | access-date=4 May 2013}}</ref>

===Release===
Hall was released from [[HM Prison Wymott]] near [[Preston, Lancashire]], on 16 December 2015, having served half his sentence. He arrived home in time for Christmas and his birthday on the same day.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.itv.com/news/2015-12-16/stuart-hall-released-from-prison-just-days-before-86th-birthday/ | title=Stuart Hall released from prison just days before 86th birthday | work=ITV News | date=16 December 2015 | access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> In a February 2016 interview with ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'', Hall criticised his accusers, 'those who impugned' him, for bringing him down and says he hopes for 'fairness'. A woman Hall attacked when she was a teenage girl said, "To me he'll always be the lowest of the low, a vile [[pedophilia|paedophile]] who's ruined so many lives."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stuart-hall-blasts-vindictive-malicious-sex-accusers-a6894701.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stuart-hall-blasts-vindictive-malicious-sex-accusers-a6894701.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Stuart Hall blasts 'vindictive, malicious' sex accusers|date=25 February 2016|newspaper=The Independent}}</ref>

===BBC response===
When the news of Hall's guilty plea became public, the BBC immediately terminated his contract and stated: "The BBC is appalled by the disgraceful actions of Stuart Hall and we would like to express our sympathy to his victims."<ref name=20130502Channel4 /> [[Chris Patten|Lord Patten]], chairman of the [[BBC Trust]], initially announced that [[Janet Smith (judge)|Dame Janet Smith]] would extend her inquiry into the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal to include Hall's sex offences.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22417934 | title=BBC inquiry must answer Stuart Hall claims, says Lord Patten | publisher=[[BBC News]] | date=5 May 2013 | access-date=6 May 2013}}</ref> The BBC subsequently decided to launch a separate inquiry headed by a different individual.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22425031 | title= Stuart Hall: BBC to hold separate conduct inquiry | publisher=[[BBC News]] | date=6 May 2013 | access-date=6 May 2013}}</ref> As a result of Hall's crimes, the BBC no longer uses clips featuring Hall and edits him out of archive footage when they are broadcast on television.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/jul/31/huw-edwards-fall-comes-14-months-after-career-peak | title=Huw Edwards' fall comes 14 months after career peak | newspaper=The Guardian | date=31 July 2024 | last1=Lawson | first1=Mark }}</ref>

The ''[[Dame Janet Smith Review]]'', released 25 February 2016, found that Hall had assaulted 21 female victims at the BBC, the youngest of whom was aged 10, between 1967 and 1991. The report found that some BBC staff members were aware he was bringing underage girls into his dressing room for sex, but his "untouchable" celebrity status stopped them from passing complaints to senior management.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/12172773/Jimmy-Savile-sex-abuse-report-to-be-published-live.html |title='Atmosphere of fear' at BBC allowed Jimmy Savile to commit sex crimes, report finds |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=25 February 2016 |access-date=5 March 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life and honours==
Hall married Hazel Bennett on 1 March 1958 and lived in [[Wilmslow]], [[Cheshire]], until his 2013 conviction. The couple's first son, Nicholas, died shortly after birth because of a heart defect.{{CN|date=November 2023}} They went on to have a daughter and another son. Hall owns an extensive collection of clocks, including one that belonged to [[Napoleon Bonaparte]].<ref name=Telg2317798>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2317798/Stuart-Hall-enjoying-time-of-his-life.html|title=Stuart Hall enjoying time of his life|first=Michael|last=Henderson|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London|date=28 July 2007|access-date=22 January 2013}}</ref> It was reported in February 2014 that Hazel was "filing for divorce" before Hall's trial in May 2014 where he was accused, but eventually [[acquittal|acquitted]], of raping two teenage girls.<ref>[https://archive.today/20140217133927/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/stuart-halls-wife-files-divorce-6715127 Stuart Hall's wife 'files for divorce' after broadcaster faces new sex claims] ''[[Manchester Evening News]]'', 17 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.</ref>

===Honours===
In 1999, various Members of Parliament signed a [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] [[Early Day Motion]], congratulating Hall on 40 years in broadcasting.<ref name="EDM-307">{{Cite web|url=https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/17256/stuart-halls-fortieth-year-of-broadcasting|title=STUART HALL'S FORTIETH YEAR OF BROADCASTING – Early Day Motions – UK Parliament|website=edm.parliament.uk}}</ref><ref name="bbc5">{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/277621.stm
|title=All-party backing for 'youth icon' Hall
|publisher=BBC News
|date=11 February 1999
|access-date=4 October 2009
}}</ref> Hall was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2012 New Year Honours]] for services to broadcasting and charity,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=60009 |date=31 December 2011 |page=10 |supp=y}}</ref><ref name="OBE">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/16369294.stm | title=Stuart Hall is made an OBE by Queen for services to broadcasting and charity | publisher=[[BBC Sport]] | access-date=31 December 2011 | date=31 December 2011}}</ref> but the honour was formally annulled in October 2013 due to his conviction for sex offences.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=60664 |page=20809 |date= 22 October 2013 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

'''Bibliography'''
*{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Stuart | title=Heaven and Hall: a prodigal life | isbn=0-563-53811-2 | year=2000|publisher=BBC Worldwide }}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Stuart Hall}}
*{{IMDb name|0356129|Stuart Hall}}

{{Child sexual abuse in the UK|state=collapsed}}
{{Operation Yewtree}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Stuart}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century English criminals]]
[[Category:21st-century English criminals]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology]]
[[Category:BBC North West newsreaders and journalists]]
[[Category:BBC radio presenters]]
[[Category:BBC sports presenters and reporters]]
[[Category:BBC television presenters]]
[[Category:Child sexual abuse in England]]
[[Category:Criminals from Lancashire]]
[[Category:Criminals from Manchester]]
[[Category:English association football commentators]]
[[Category:English game show hosts]]
[[Category:English male criminals]]
[[Category:English male journalists]]
[[Category:English people convicted of child sexual abuse]]
[[Category:English people convicted of indecent assault]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:English prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:English radio personalities]]
[[Category:English sports broadcasters]]
[[Category:Operation Yewtree]]
[[Category:People acquitted of rape]]
[[Category:People from Ashton-under-Lyne]]
[[Category:People from Hyde, Greater Manchester]]
[[Category:People from Wilmslow]]
[[Category:People stripped of a British Commonwealth honour]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales]]
[[Category:Television personalities from Lancashire]]
[[Category:English children's television presenters]]