Janet and John

The Dame Janet Smith Review may be among the BBC's most expensive-ever undertakings, especially if it sets the scene for extensive compensation.

But the Dame and her team are still clocking up the payment schedule, with constant vigilance and rebuttal the name of the game, as we await publication. Here's a bit of yesterday's website update...

"The Review notes further recent press speculation in relation to its findings, all of which is premature and speculative and is not endorsed by the Review. In particular, the recent statement in the media that Dame Janet has changed the conclusions in her Report after receiving objections to her findings is inaccurate.

"Publication of the Review’s Report remains delayed solely as a result of the Metropolitan Police’s concerns that publication of the Report could prejudice its ongoing investigations into sexual abuse. There is no other reason for the delay."

At least some of the recent speculation has come from that exemplar of clear thinking, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, who helpfully told the Evening Standard, "I don't know what's in the report but by all accounts it is going to be pretty shocking."