Jimmy Savile

Listened to Jeremy Vine at lunchtime. Some people who came on the programme seemed to feel that he did so much for charity, and could do no wrong.....then there were two or three who had reason to think otherwise, such as the woman who had interviewed him a number of years ago and who had asked him what he would like in his Christmas stocking. He'd replied, "A little girl".
I never did like Jimmy Savile. There was something about him that made me uneasy.

I was never very keen on him either, but only because he came across to me as OTT and a bit pathetic in his later years. He isn't here to answer the accusations, so cannot prove his innocence or otherwise, but of course the media will have a field day.

I must admit I was staggered this morning when I heard someone who used to work for the BBC saying that she had once gone into his caravan and he had a 14 year old on his lap, with his hand up her skirt! I have no idea whether he was "grooming" young girls, but I couldn't believe if that is what she saw, she didn't inform someone about it. If this is indeed true, then the BBC was complicit, in my opinion.

In the sixties he DJ'd at Belle Vue Top 20 club and after a few years has Ray Teret as his assistant. Both would leave in the Rolls Royce and stop by the gates to let in young girls. I knew one who was 16 and said she was having sex with them in the car. Teret has since been tried for rape and was on remand in prison but I never learned the outcome if the trial. Saville always had a reputation for groping girls.

Interesting Indy article says that Paul Gambaccini had suspicions long ago. What I would like to know is why he kept quiet. Doesn't that make him complicit?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/paul-gambaccini-claims-sir-jimmy-savile-used-charity-work-to-prevent-sexual-abuse-of-schoolchildren-being-exposed-8191761.html

Why has this not come out before? It's a pity it had to surface now after his death when he is not here to defend himself if innocent or not here to answer charges if guilty.

I read about this a while ago [possibly in the Observer as it's the only paper I read] but then it all went quiet again. Maybe Paul Gambaccini was not openly gay at that time [before it was ok to come out as a public figure] and didn't want to draw attention to himself?

Extremely odd character, not sure that anyone really knew him, and I didn't find him likeable, in fact always rather creepy.

There was never any doubt in my mind about his sexual behaviour.

I guess they believed the moment had passed for some people who saw how he behaved in the 60s and 70s. It wasn't until the 80s that routine prosecution for sexually abusing teenagers was expected. By that stage, he was beginning to cover his behaviour behind charity work. Women have complained about him and lots of pop stars over the years. Several adult children of show biz people have been convicted of offences against children and downloading abusive images on their computers, behaviour learned from observing their parents bed-hopping with 'groupies' and sharing teenagers around. I can foresee a can of worms being opened here.

Esther Rantzen is quoted in todays Telegraph as saying that mant at the BBC either knew or suspected, but said nothing.

I think I also just heard Eddie Mair (in a trailer for his 5pm prog on R4) that the police did investigate in (I think) 2008, but there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution.

I too never did like the man.

Oh - he was a right weirdo. Not sure what good it will do to air it all now - unless the girls themselves might find it useful to have it out in the open. Though maybe the BEEB might learn some lessons from it.
I'm very glad now that my daughter got no response to her letter to him (which began "Dear Jimm'l" - she thought Fixit was his surname!).

The GD of someone I know wrote to him and asked if he could fix it for her GM to have a weather forecast which was specific to our area and Jim Fix'ed it! I wonder what GM is thinking now? I would be having the heeby jeebies, I think.

I also always found him creepy. He kept his mother's clothes long after her death and had them regularly cleaned and laundered. Did he wear them, I wonder? Shades of Psycho.
I think it is good to bring it out now - there are probably young women around who would be very glad to be believed.

He used to dj at the dance hall I went to when I was a teenager.
He was weird and all over the young girls in the coffee bar.
I actually went on a date with Ray Teret once (another weirdo) but I just accepted that they were creepy men.
I'm not a bit surprised about any of these allegations.

Why do they say these things when people have died and have no chance of defending themselves?

I fear that he was very powerful and manipulative; supposedly he had a very high IQ and was very, very clever. Haven't we all worked with people that we were scared to say anything about?

And apparently when the rumours were put to him, he dismissed them absolutely (with a wave of one of his famous cigars, no doubt), in the full knowledge that no one in the industry would have the guts to out him.

If so many of us (and I am one) found him so creepy, why did he gain such enormous popularity?

Beats me anno. I always found him revolting!

I don't know why anyone is surprised at the suggestions as there have been rumours and suggestions for years that he had a dodgy and unhealthy attitude to sex and young people. If people have actively covered for him then that is equally as awful & they are guilty too if any crime has been committed.

It was ever thus. Power, opportunity, dosh for the BBC, and the killer stroke - a massive involvement with Charity. Who was going to call him with those credentials? +

I remember hearing these rumours about him from someone who worked in showbiz, over 40 years ago. But people used to take such things less seriously then.

I was amazed when the Royals got involved with him. Apparently Prince Phillip (and he doesn't suffer fools) asked him to be an adviser/cousellor to Charles and Diana when their marriage difficulties became public. How the heck did that come about? JS wasn't married, knew nothing whatsoever about relationships, had a weird obsession with his mother, was a terrible show off and was a thoroughly creepy individual. His charitable works were a credit to him but he milked that to the hilt.