Jimmy Savile rape claim: Met launches investigation Jimmy Savile presenting Top of the Pops in the 1970s. Photograph: Michael Putland/Getty Images The Metropolitan police is launching a new investigation after a woman told detectives she was raped by Sir Jimmy Savile in London in the 1970s. The woman reported the allegation to police on Monday as fresh sexual assault claims against Savile were reported in the media ahead of an ITV1 documentary about the subject. The BBC is also facing mounting pressure to launch an internal inquiry into why executives decided to halt a Newsnight investigation into Savile after the death of the former Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It presenter last year. Surrey police confirmed that it had referred a historic allegation of rape against Savile to the Met because it was said to have taken place in London. A spokeswoman for Surrey police said: "A woman yesterday (Monday, 1 October) reported a historic allegation of rape. The alleged offence occurred in London, therefore the matter has been referred to the Metropolitan police. The Daily Mail reported on Monday that three women had come forward to claim they were raped by Savile when they were teenagers. Surrey police confirmed publicly for the first time on Monday that Savile was interviewed under caution about allegations of sexual abuse in 2007, but no charges were ever brought. The fresh claims came to light after five women told programme-makers working on the ITV documentary that they were sexually abused by the late TV presenter in the 1970s. ITV1 will broadcast allegations from several women who claim they were victims of Savile on Wednesday in its documentary, Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile. The BBC has denied it covered up the allegations because of Savile's links to the corporation, but late on Monday admitted the fresh allegations were worth investigating. The BBC said in a statement: "These are serious and disturbing new allegations about which we understand the police have been informed. We will, of course, assist the police in every way we can. BBC journalists had interviewed 10 witnesses who made similar allegations about Savile for a Newsnight report that was later dropped by the BBC2 programme's editor, Peter Rippon. Former police detective Mark Williams-Thomas initially worked as an adviser to Newsnight, but when its investigation was halted he switched to work on the ITV documentary.