The BBC presenter, 61, stated that witnessing sexual and physical abuse at the Edinburgh Academy had a “profound effect on my life.
Campbell made the claims for the first time in an episode of his BBC Sounds podcast Different, which aired on Wednesday.
During the episode, he talks about his experiences with journalist Alex Renton, the creator of the radio show In Dark Corners, which exposed systemic abuse in British public schools.
“I was badly beaten up at school by a teacher who was a leading light in the scripture union,” Campbell tells listeners.
My mother pursued it as far as she could and received a grovelling apology from (the man involved), but she was essentially stonewalled and the school hushed it up.
“Those were different times, and I’ve carried that with me my entire life.”
The former Watchdog and Top of the Pops host also spoke about witnessing more serious sexual abuse on his schoolmates at the hands of another man at the institution.
“I can’t describe it here, and I’ll never be able to unsee it,” he said.
“We all knew this man was a predator and a sadist, but we never told anyone.”
My schoolmates and I discuss it now with contempt, disbelief, and incomprehension that such a thing happened in plain sight and nothing was done.
“And why didn’t we, as little boys, tell anyone in authority what was going on?” “I’m not sure.”
Renton also revealed to Campbell that the alleged abuser is still alive but cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Campbell stated on his own podcast that he chose to come forward in order to bring the man to justice for the alleged abuse.
Edinburgh Academy said in a statement to the BBC that it “deeply regrets” the alleged incidents and “wholeheartedly” apologised to those involved.
We have worked closely with the relevant authorities, including Police Scotland, on their investigations and would like to reassure you that things have changed dramatically since the 1970s,” the statement said.
The Academy has robust measures in place to safeguard children at the school, and child protection training is now central to the Academy’s ethos.
BBC Sounds has a track called Different With Nicky Campbell.
