The BBC statement follows its investigation into a speech the presenter made at the Communications Directors' Forum in June. In it he insinuated that all MPs were liars and that the government had "sexed-up" Iraq intelligence, despite the findings of the Hutton Report.
BBC chairman Michael Grade had called on director-general Mark Thompson to compile a report on the case. Thompson then passed on the investigation to deputy director-general Mark Byford.
The review has been concluded. The BBC said that Humphrys accepts that some of his phrases were injudicious and recognises that it is vital that all BBC News presenters and reporters are impartial.
"John Humphrys is one of our finest news presenters," Thompson said. "Having read the report prepared for me by Mark Byford, as well as the full transcript of John's remarks, I am satisfied that John did not show any party political bias or lack of impartiality and that he did not intend to be contemptuous or dismissive about politics or politicians.
"However, some specific remarks were inappropriate and ran the risk of calling into question John's own impartiality and, by extension, that of the BBC. We've made it clear to him that this must not happen again."
Grade indicated that he too was satisfied with the findings of the report. "I am pleased to draw a line under the episode and, at the same time, reassure those who pay for the BBC through their licence fee of the BBC's continued commitment to independence, impartiality and accuracy," he said.
However, Humphrys, speaking to The Guardian, said: "I don't have a problem with what the BBC said... they haven't asked me to stop, which might have caused a bit of a problem. As I have made the point all along, it was light-hearted and I shall continue to do light-hearted things, it's what I do."
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