E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Hulton Archive via Getty Images
English disc jockey, television broadcaster and charity worker Jimmy Savile on April 17, 1974, with some of the children who were going to take part in his show 'Jim'll Fix It' on BBC television.
LONDON - Sit down children and let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was an eccentric disc-jockey and TV presenter with long golden hair who became a favorite with families all around the United Kingdom.
For years he presented a massively popular kids’ TV show where this kind and gentle man helped children achieve the stuff of their dreams. It was called “Jim’ll Fix It.” It had a catchy theme tune I can still whistle.
He smoked big cigars, wore outlandish suits, ran marathons and raised millions for charity. In recognition of his good work, he was knighted by the queen. Arise Sir Jimmy Savile.
When he died, doctors and nurses lined the streets near their hospital to pay homage to this larger-than-life philanthropist as his cortege drove through his home town.
The fairy tale was over.
But now it has emerged it was a nightmare all along.
For it turns out that Uncle Jim was very likely a sexual pervert -- a man who systematically sought out young girls and abused them over decades, all while hiding under the guise of being one of the biggest and nicest celebrities in the country.
Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images, file
Sir Jimmy Savile attends the ceremony to name Cunard's new cruise-liner Queen Elizabeth II in Southampton Docks Oct. 11, 2010 in Southampton, England.
To get the enormity of this, imagine Captain Kangaroo standing accused today of being a sexual predator.
'Everyone' knew
The revelations burst into the public consciousness last week, and every day since the headlines have revealed claims of more and more lurid behavior -- much of it taking place under the noses of the authorities, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the country's highly respected public broadcaster.
It’s alleged that for years Savile took underage girls into his dressing room at the BBC -- and that “everyone” knew what was going on. No-one did anything.
ITV News: TV star says 'Savile's hands were everywhere, just lingering'
Savile’s supposed good works included working as a porter and fundraiser in major medical facilities. Now, he’s said even to have abused children as they lay in their hospital beds.
I bumped into him myself when I went to the hospital with my kids. He was charming, and they were thrilled to see him. There was not a hint of anything to cause me – a protective dad – any concern. Quite the opposite. It was easy to be star-struck by his apparent warmth.
Across Britain, 11 police forces are now investigating up to 40 allegations of abuse by victims who were as young as 13. There are calls to strip him of his knighthood.
Too late. Savile died last year at the age of 84. A showman to the end, he was buried in a gold coffin and laid to rest at an angle of 45 degrees so he could have a view out to sea.
Phil Noble / Reuters
Floral tributes and a piece of turf mark the spot where the headstone was removed from Jimmy Savile's grave.
His gravestone -- actually three of them side-by-side -- was, like Savile, flamboyant and larger than life. He penned his own epitaph, written in gold leaf on the polished granite stone: “It was good while it lasted.”
Well, no it wasn’t, Sir Jimmy. It was awful, and it should have been stopped before you could hurt so many unsuspecting, trustful youngsters.
The investigations will go on. The BBC has promised to dig into his past -- and their own apparent failure over years to stop him. Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken of his concerns.
This week Savile’s gravestone was dismantled in the early morning gloom “out of respect to public opinion, and to those who are buried there and to those who tend their graves.”
It was broken into pieces and will be ground down and used as landfill. Dust to dust.
His epitaph is gone with it. Instead of the fame he so craved and enjoyed, and in spite of the millions he raised for charity, he will be remembered as a monster who molested kids.
So much for the fairy tale.
More world stories from NBC News:
- Pakistan: 3 arrested over teen peace activist shooting
- Seven British marines arrested in Afghanistan murder probe
- Hezbollah admits launching drone over Israel
- Indonesia's Bali recalls horror of bombs 10 years on
- Tunisian magazine teaches children how to build a Molotov cocktail
- Video: Australian PM launches attack on ‘sexist’ opponent
Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
Leave a Comment:
Call the NCAA!!
Indeed. This is no different than Sandusky and Penn State. Except Sandusky stood trial.
BBC 'knew but did nothing?" No difference; enabling is as bad as the crime itself, especially in the name of profit.
I don't know much about this case, but I would be more impressed if the charges came out while he was still alive and able to defend himself. Always beware accusations made after the alleged perp dies.
I actually agree. Some, with NO morals at all, will claim abuse just for the money. For example, almost 300 priests/deacons have been completely exonerated of sexual abuse charges. I do believe those that lied to get money should be sent to prison, too. I find it so sad for those that WERE abused to have people wonder if it was actually true because of these liars.
That makes no sense, if alive we all know what he would say.
I have no idea about his guilt, but seems like the family wouldn't remove the gravestone without something solid. The family usually being the last to admit guilt leads me to believe that the allegations are at least strong enough to merit removing his headstone.
I do agree with you about bringing charges after death, but not in these cases. The only thing he could possibly offer is "I didn't do it". And if all these people who loved him are willing to throw him under the bus, I don't really think it matters whether he is alive or not.
And lastly, it would be a great injustice to the victims to simply say it's too late and let the man's reputation stand if he really did so these things. And if all these adults just stood by and let it happen, well... I say let the victims get one shred of dignity by letting the world know who he really was.
That being said, I assume after death one cannot go after his estate.
Any adult who admits they knew, needs to stand trial for accessory to a crime.
I have a serious problem with these people waiting until after the guy is dead and can not defend himself to come out with these allegations. It has been decades since these supposed assaults took place, why did these people wait so long to come forward. Are these people just looking for payoffs from the estate now that the guy is not around to challenge the charges. I also think that removing his headstone and destroying it before an investigation is even complete is way out of line. Even though the guy is dead, there should still be some due process before condemning and convicting this guy. There have been far too many instances where these charges that are brought after many years have turned out to be false, often occurring because some unethical hypnotherapist planted ideas in people's heads. I certainly hope that they require more proof than simple accusations before they start handing these people checks from his estate.
I hate reading biased articles. It is clear that the author views the guy as guilty, even before the police have finished their investigation.
How about saving your opinions for your blog and just reporting on the news. No wonder people think that those in the media have agendas. There have been numerous cases of people who wrongly accuse someone of abuse. NBC just posted an article a few days ago and teenage girls that accussed a teacher of abuse and they were lying. I would hate to have read this author's article on the topic before the truth came out.
I think it's abundantly clear from the tone and content of the article that it's not a straight news piece, it's Chris Hampson's opinion. An opinion piece, by definition, contains someone's OPINION. It's neither a legal indictment or a straight news piece, it's just an opinion.
Oh Wow!! Is the author of this article biased? There hasnt even been a conviction or declaration by a judge in lieu of a trial with the accused being dead and all that this is true.
"Well, no it wasn’t, Sir Jimmy. It was awful, and it should have been stopped before you could hurt so many unsuspecting, trustful youngsters."
This is your opinion not fact as portrayed by a court ruling. How did this get past your editors? Holy cow I cant believe you leaving yourself open to lawsuits like this. In this age of sensitivity to lawsuits I would have thought this would have been on a blog only at least until there was a ruling or a statement of fact by the courts. Once agine NBC is showing media CAN consistently disappoint and spiral downhill.
They say these revelations came out only last week. Yet they;
"This week Savile’s gravestone was dismantled in the early morning gloom “out of respect to public opinion, and to those who are buried there and to those who tend their graves.”
"It was broken into pieces and will be ground down and used as landfill. Dust to dust."
Even though there was no formal investigation yet. I'm not saying he did or didn't do anything wrong but for some people to say he did and a week later they do the above.....
It would be something if all these people just wanted $ from his estate and were proved wrong. Now what?! They already destroyed everything above! LOL
Well remember in the UK you are guilty until proven innocent. Most countries outside the US have this approach to law.
ladypyrate, you don't know what you're talking about. Guess where we got the idea of "presumption of innocence" from? Yes, the English. Over there the presumption of innocence has been a prevailing theme of their criminal justice system for centuries.
Sorry but it seems the same here in the Good OL' US-of-A too. It's not easy proving your innocence, but seems a lot eaiser for them to prove your guilt even when your not. They will take everything you say and turn it around and add things to it. And they presume your guilt because to assume would be with education & thought. And when they get a subject/perp in their heads that's where they stop and do no futher investigating. So then again you have to prove your innocence and them not your guilt.
This is one of the reasons why i could never work around kids. There are just too many people that only see a person as a meal ticket. And there are just too many people out there too quick to jump to conclusions. A lot of the time these charges end up being based on he said she said. I think we would get a lot more truthful charges against people if we remove the money part out of the equation. The money people get is a lot of the time enough of a reason to say that they were abused.
Here in Delaware, where i live, there was a pediatrician, earl bradley, who owned his own private practice, who abused tons of children. Well, i know for a fact that some of the children that he was accussed of abusing he did not. But once the lawsuits started flowing, a lot of the parents around here wanted to get in on the money. Suing him, the local hosipital, and the state. The sad part is, is that these leeches are taking away money from those that were actually abused. It is like everyone is waiting for their payday. And they saw this TRAGEDY as their payday.
Of course what this man did was heinous and abominable but I had no idea that in England they can confiscate your head stone and destroy it...?
It was Mr Savile's family who made the decision to remove the headstone, out of respect. No one "confiscated" it.
Sorry but it seems the same here in the Good OL' US-of-A too. It's not easy proving your innocence, but seems a lot eaiser for them to prove your guilt even when your not. They will take everything you say and turn it around and add things to it. And they presume your guilt because to assume would be with education & thought. And when they get a subject/perp in their heads that's where they stop and do no futher investigating. So then again you have to prove your innocence and them not your guilt.
It seems to me that is pretty much the same standard applied to people who write posts here on MSNBC> You write something and the wingers (left or right) haqve it rewritten to satisfy their evil little pea brains with minutes, or you are called every name under the sun and are open to disrespect of every kind. So, I guess things are pretty much the same all over the world.
I'm absolutely amazed that during all these years, no allegations came out when he was alive. I've heard of the "stiff upper lip" in the British, but this is just ridiculous.
If I were a parent of a young girl and an older man wanted to take her into his dressing room, all kinds of alarms would go off.
This is extremely sad if this is true but, since Mr. Savile is no longer alive, these allegations cannot be proven. Therefore, there will be no true closure for these women. Very sad.
It is always optimal to try some one alleged accused of molestation when they are alive and able to defend against the accusers however when 40 potential victims come forward impressing someone has to take a back seat. He is dead and yet his actions live on in those who suffered at his crimes. This is not the first time this has occurred in history and it will not be the last. Dale R I'm sure you mean well but I think if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its a duck. His death should not stop the Queen from stripping him of his knighthood. If she does not after he is proved guilty then she is just as much a conspirator in the act. Sandusky did the same thing under the same guise. A do gooder sexual predator praised for all the charitable work all the while molesting un suspecting children while other adults aware do nothing. All who knew and did nothing are guilty of the crime as well. God will be the judge. He did not escape who matters.
So sad...
Too bad this piece of sh*t beat out lady justice.
Uncle Jimmy could have been Jer's cell mate.
I dont know much about this case, But I am not sure how much i believe "Everyone knew about it, but did nothing" statement. Who knows something and does nothing?. Maybe a few Paternos, but not everyone.
Something seems fishy about this.
He's Dead, Jim.
A perv? Well duh. Look at that picture at the top. Would you let your child be around someone looking like that?
Sorry if it happened, but he's already dead. What more do you think you're going to do to him?
When I saw the top pic as well as the one below I thought "Really? Who da thunk it?" He was positively creepy looking.
Look up "Uncle Ed" Mascera(sp)who hosted a kids TV show in Kansas City MO. in the early/mid seventies. He was arrested for child molestation and died in prison. I was a musician playing alternative music in the mid eighties and "Uncle Ed" would hang out with the girls who would hang out just to be somewhere. There was a VFW hall that would only serve alcohol downstairs and upstairs would be the local "punk" and alt. bands. That's where these 14/15/16 year old girls would be to see bands and that's where Ed would be seeing if girls would remember his puppet/cartoon show. A MAJOR sicko. He'd get them smoking dope and go from there. I heard about it several years later.
Hate to be the doubter, but how do you prove something years later? He may very well have been a perverted monster, but again, sometimes you get one person making an accusation then all of their friends join in and start making it even bigger. Just what is the truth?
Exactly!
Kinda finding it interesting that people keep falling for the same stuff over and over and over again. This case hasn't even been investigated yet and yet there are outcries for justice... Justice for who? For the 40 that came out after the man lay dead with no way to defend himself? And if they're lying? Then what? There should be stiff penalties for lying about the commission of a crime, the lady in the Duke case should have had a penalty not the sympathy of the court after it came out that she was lying. Punish and destroy the legacy of the dead so a few can share in the wealth seems more like what is happening here.
Generally speaking wherever there are potential victims (animals, children) the victimizers will be lurking. From playgrounds to daycare to animal rescue organizations and slaughterhouses.
People need to keep their eyes open, stay vigiliant and trust your gut.
they say they have something that somebody said and do all theses things and say all these things and they are still investigating. the guy can't stick up for himself. that's nice. why don't they do it to his face when he was alive. Waite until now. sounds like gossiping scumbag people to me.
Plenty of girls and women claimed to be victims of the "witches" in 1690 Salem, too. There was no money to be gained back then, and we know it couldn't have been true, so why did they do it? In this case, the "victims, " ALL of them, had 40 years to come forward...why did they wait until the old coot was dead? This just seems like it could go either way. It's not right to try somebody in a court of law OR in public when he isn't here to defend himself. I say let it go and let this be a lesson to other "victims": say your piece when it's still relevant or forever hold your tongue.
Dig him up and bury him head first so he will have a head start on his way to hell.
Might want to investigate the claims of abuse before we desecrate the body.
I certainly hope this is not about money. I'm curious to know why these girls, who are probably around my age, waited until Jimmy Savile passed away to come forward. If I was a victim I would have come out with allegations against this man while he was still alive to have him prosecuted. You can't tell me that they were all afraid of this man. If it is about getting money from his estate or suing the BBC then I am sad for these alledged victims in that they feel it necessary to drag a mans name thru the mud after he is already dead just for a few pounds and he cannot defend himself. I thought people where innocent until found guilty by a jury of their peers. I cannot understand how this guy was on the tele for so many years and the production crew and these girl's parents never said anything or brought charges against Jimmy. If this is at all true then why wait for 40 years? Why not get the bastard and see him rot in jail for the rest of his life? If the guy is dead then what is the point of bringing it all up now?
Jimmy did fix them, didn't he? Not in the way parents wanted.
Uh, saw the first pic... read the first few lines... scrolled down and saw the second pic of this guy and really? Seriously?
Nobody knew?
Come on, I'm just say'n what everyone is already thinking...
He sounds like the British version of Jerry Sandusky,except he liked young girls and Jerry's preference is young boys.
Even in Britian, a person is convicted before a trial. Not everyone is a molester who is accused of it. These girls could be trying to get a chunk of his estate, you never know.
I don't know if it's true or not, but I don't completely understand why people are coming forward now a year after the death of this man.. It just seems a little odd to me. But on the other hand people may feel safe that their story may have a chance of being believed now. Like I said I don't know if it's true or not.
So he "was very likely a sexual pervert"? "Very likely"? It's very likely that this was a good article. Thanks for the dirt on a dead guy.