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Subscribe to RSSFor 20 years, Jimmy Savile's children's show was a highlight of Saturday night family TV on the BBC. But now, British police say 300 people have come forward with claims that Savile abused them during his 60-year broadcasting career. NBC's Annabel Roberts reports.
LONDON -- British police arrested comedian Freddie Starr on Thursday as part of an investigation triggered by allegations that the late BBC presenter Jimmy Savile sexually abused hundreds of children, according to media reports.
Photoshot via Getty Images, file
Freddie Starr.
Police said in a statement they had arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of sex offenses. The man was identified by Sky News and ITV News as Starr, who earlier had offered to talk to police.
The allegations have shaken Britain's state-funded broadcaster, with hundreds of people now coming forward to report abuse dating back over several decades by Savile, a household name in Britain.
Lawyers representing some of the victims have said their clients indicated an organized pedophile ring involving celebrities existed at the BBC during the height of Savile's fame in the 1970s and 1980s.
Scandal
On Sunday, police arrested glam rock singer and convicted sex offender Gary Glitter, born Paul Gadd, as part of the Savile investigation. He was released on bail.
Latest allegation: BBC star took teen girls to hospital staff rooms
BBC Director General George Entwistle and his predecessor, Mark Thompson, incoming chief executive officer of the New York Times Co., have come under heavy criticism for their handling of suspicions about Savile.
At a recent parliamentary hearing, Entwistle rejected claims that BBC bosses tried to hide allegations against Savile or suppressed an inquiry by one of their own news programs.
Thompson, who was still director general in late 2011 when BBC's Newsnight shelved a report investigating the allegations against Savile, has said he did not know about the program's investigation and had no involvement in the decision to ax the report.
The scandal has attracted attention in the United States, where Thompson's appointment at The New York Times has been questioned by senior journalists at the newspaper, who have accused him of involvement in a cover-up to protect his former employer's reputation.
Police believe former TV star Jimmy Savile, a national icon, may have been one of Britain's worst pedophile offenders. Some of Savile's alleged 300 victims had appeared on his TV shows. NBC's Keir Simmons reports.
Thompson has said he had approached his new employers to explain his role at the BBC and why he had not dealt with such an issue, despite being the director general and editor-in-chief of the world-renowned organization.
Prime Minister David Cameron has said the sex abuse allegations leave the BBC and other institutions with serious questions to answer.
The revelations have shocked fans of the once highly popular Savile, who died last year at the age of 84.
Related stories:
- Jimmy Savile abuse scandal stuns Britain: a who's who primer
- Report: UK police arrest pop star Gary Glitter
- 'A steep fall' for BBC as child sex abuse scandal rocks the UK
Estate frozen
In a sign of preparation for claims, his 4.3 million pound ($6.93 million) estate has been frozen in response to the allegations.
Starr, 69, has publicly denied one allegation linked to a show Savile presented in the 1970s.
"I'm being persecuted by the press saying that I have been with underage girls and I haven't - never will I go with underage girls," Starr told the BBC last month.
"I'm totally innocent. Totally innocent. I would never go with a girl like that ... I hope they question me, I want to clear my name. I've got nothing to hide."
The comedian, singer and impressionist was the subject of one of Britain's best-known tabloid newspaper headlines: "Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster."
The fictitious story in the top-selling Sun newspaper involved Starr eating a woman's pet hamster after she refused to make him a sandwich.
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Leave a Comment:
Sure beats "Freddy Starr ate my pussy, cat!"
...Or did he...?
Sadly, the world has turned it's back on Jehovah God, and He has left us to our own FILTH and depravation. ALL will stand before Him, SOON, and face Eternal Judgement for each of our actions, good or bad. MOST wont like their Eternal reservations very much!!!
bran, this "He" you are babbling does not exist, oh, you are a flatlander, sigh, it is 2012 not 200 CE try being a Humanist
I'm sorry but I cannot decipher your attempt at posting of crazy. Please try again.
Branxoz, I totally agree with you 100%. GOD truly will send his HOLY SON JESUS to take his true children to be with him forever. its not the world that has turned its back on our SAVIOR. its the people in it. all we can do is pray for them. we must remember that even tho people are accused of such awful things does not mean they done what they are ac-cusued of. people will lie an set others up but GOD knows the truth. as GODS word say," the just will suffer with the unjust". remember no matter ones pain, JESUS went thru so much more then any of us will ever know, he died on the cross for each of our sins an arose 3 days later. people please "Repent an ask for forgiveness an ask the FATHER HOLY FATHER JESUS to come into your hearts an believe in JESUS an do your best to serve him. for JESUS is so worthy to be praised. let us not judge one another, that is for JESUS Father GOD to do. remember to love each other an pray for all people. may the peace of GOD be with his children. remember to hug some one an let them know how wonderful they are. JESUS loves Each Of You/ Sandi
Zombies are in season but a blond blue jew crapped from a child raped by a Willie Nelson look alike who floats around the sky is a bit much. The story is about child rape so your delusions aren't completely off topic;-)
Last I checked he and his wife, Mary, are still dead.
Branxoz:
You must mean 'depravity'. Your Jehovah may have inspired The People of the Book, but it obviously wasn't a grammar/spelling/usage book.
Another person claiming to know what the supreme ruler of the universe is thinking.
Has he told you build him an ark, branxoz?
Torchbearer Sandy
COO-COO
30 cops to investigate Jimmy Savile serial molestation.
178 cops to investigate Murdoch and phone-hacking, along with a public inquiry.
who would have known that hacking phones was worse than molesting hundreds of kids at BBC, hospitals, and schools.
Perhaps you overlooked the part where the crimes were committed in the 1970's and 80's and that the principle player involved is already dead and that there seems to be a relatively limited number of perpetrators in the group.
That's as opposed to what was a fairly massive ongoing criminal enterprise.
silly me. it wasn't like multiple hospitals gave this guy uncontested access to ill patients, reform schools doing the same, and the BBC turning a blind eye.
you could hack every phone in the world and it would PALE in comparison to institutionalized serial molestation of 100s of kids.
One look at that Homo and I would not let my kids near him.
Based on YOUR looks, I'd come to the same conclusion.
While it's been proven that child molesters are generally ambiguous about the sex of the child in question because it's more of a thrill of dominance and control than sexual preference the only mention of molested children in the article is in reference to girls.
Which would mean that they are NOT "Homo's" as you would call them but that YOU are clearly a bigot.
if the article only mentioned girls than that is horrible reporting by NBC, but what else is new.
I have also read that police have been investigating claims of necrophilia, as well.
why in the hell did everyone wait till this SOB died to accuse him or did they accuse him and the BBC hushed it up ??
pedophilia is a horrible crime and it seems no one is doing enough to stop it and protect children from this disgusting crime . you have the catholic priests doing it and the vatican not taking responsability and not stopping it , you have sandopesky haveing lots of fun at the university and his home and on trips and he is still denying it . now this childrens show disgusting looking thing who with other celebrities raped hundreds of girls and we all know this is not the first time for gary glitter to be arrested on these charges and he is out on bail !!!!! you have many groups shareing kids . and no these are not homosexuals they are straight men diddling kids . then you have the psychos !! children disapear all the time and many found dead , raped and dismembered who also been tortured . WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP. this is not acceptable behavior . the courts dont or wont do enough . society has turned a blind eye to it for to long it sickens me .
Accused pedophiles like Sylvain Kustyan, formally charged with two counts of 1st Degree Sodomy of a ten-year-old little boy, is 6'-7" tall and weighs 300 lbs. We need to realize that a pedophile could be anyone and while there may be some who have "the look" there are many who don't.
Savile, Boy Scouts, etc. underscore the need to get accused pedophiles like Sylvain Kustyan off our streets ASAP. Kustyan, a French native and middle school teacher, who has led numerous groups of school children on trips o England and Ireland and has spent lengthy vacations in the US, is currently on the lam.
beachbum
shut your pie hole!
Beachbum. don't worry about these Socialist Libtards talking bad about you for saying the samething most of us were thinking already.....
I'm not sure if I missed something but there's no mention of these allegations coming into play any time during the period where he was actually still alive to contest it and defend himself. Suddenly people are pouring out of the woodwork to claim they were assaulted by this guy?
Don't get me wrong, I believe in victims rights, but why wait 30 years and until the guy drops dead before saying anything. They couldn't have been living in that much terror.
you missed a lot.
girl gets molested on live tv with millions watching. tells bbc management, they tell her that is just jimmy being jimmy. multiple incidents reported to police, nothing happened. the BBC banned him from a children's charity they had. the rumors were always that he was a pedo, but he made people money and gave a lot of it away to buy access to kids. the writing was more than on the wall. it was pretty much a running joke that he liked young girls.
if you knew these things and had proof.Why the hell didn't you say something at the time???? You are just as bad as the SOBS that allowed this to happen. Or are you just jumping on the band wagon???? In any case, why, if you knew, did you not speak out. just as bad as them.
Okay thanks Sax, it just seemed weird these allegations were coming now.
I'm sure Mr. Starr was a hell of a funny pedophile. Over the years, there have been lots of whistleblowers who came out about the entertainment industry in the states and all over the world and how it is riddled with all kinds of pathetic satanic ritual abuse. No wonder this Jimmy savile was tight with the royal family. I hope more people look into that in the US. There have been many British papers covering that. I would love to see deeper investigations into what our so-called leaders in government, religion (roman pedophile church wouldn't even revoke Savile's posthumous award given by the church), and in hollyweird. I just know my side of the street is clean. Too many innocent people suffer abuse by such evil Pieces of @!$%#e.
Sure seems the delusional religious are drawn in abnormal numbers to stories like these.
Must be the child rape intrigue.
It's always the English with their bad hair and bad teeth who chase after little girls. Why are the English such creepy people? From Hugh Grant, Jimmy Savile, Starr, et al. It is truly a despicable country.
Really, Laura, the answer should be obvious to you:
THE BIG GIRLS WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM!
Can you say 'negative birth rate'?
Afloat on the shallow, scummy end of the gene pool. . .
Laura Bradley-Seaquest >>> Your generalization of the British is very offensive. It is a misnomer that all Brits have bad teeth, they don't. Of course some do, but I have met quite a few Americans who's teeth are less than perfect. There are plenty of American pedophiles to go around, take Sandusky for instance. Some English people are creepy but so are some Americans. If you have ever visited Britain you will find that it is actually quite a friendly country not a despicable one. Let's face it you will always find bad people wherever you go in the world who prey on children. So stop being so Xenophobic and hateful and think before you write, you are making yourself look ignorant.
Wow !!!!! have a look what is going on in your own country!!!! I have a look every now and then to see what is going on around the world, you know, to keep on the pulse of things. You have a lot more serious things to consider in your neck of the woods. Not that I am saying that this story is not horrendous, but by far, USA takes the cake for needless life taking and indecentries toward Humans especially young children(apart from africa) Have you ever been out of the USA or don"t you read up on what's going on in your own country??
You lady Have to get out in your own community,see what's going on and offer some help. Get off your backside and do something positive instead of sitting on your computer. I bet you don't even know what the little girl's name is two houses down! I am so annoyed!!
Laura
Really? You condem 3 people and therefore it's the whole country? Surely you jest.
I'm British. You'd best hope we never meet or you might find out if the "British soccer hooligan" is a true stereotype too.
I'm not going to get angry. I'll just chalk it up to the typical ramblings of another insular, uninformed trailer dwelling, under-educated drooling former-colonial.
Interesting that Julia denies none of the creepy, bad teeth, etc charges.
Crane says: "I'm British". How are your teeth?
@ Bob in Lg
My teeth are fine, and so are everyone else's that I know. I have no idea where that stereotype came from. Much better to portray us as tea-sipping, stiff-upper-up darkie bashers! lol
By the way I am not english I am British and a (proud Scot by birth)!!!!
Sheeba
I'm not GAY, I'm British! Hahahahahahahaha. I am not knocking you..it's was a sitcom and a man said that and it was sooooooo funny. No JAB intended
Are the Scots ever going to muster enough courage to send the Whinging Poms packing from Scotland?
Sounds like there was some good ol' boys prostitution ring where these sick bastards would send children around to one another's cronies to satisfy their sick, twisted pleasures. Imagine that fugly Savile guy grunting and sweating over someone's child- so profoundly disgusting the mere thought of it.
String every pedophile in the world up by their balls- make the punishment fit the crime. Life imprisonment is too good!
of course they didn't bring out the charges until the perp was dead. He was well protected.
If Britain has such a great public health system why don't they do something with their teeth?
just in retaliation to Bob and the other one earlier- if the USA s such a great nation why don't they do something to help their stupid citizens use their brain!!
i really don't get this thing $lagging off the British about their teeth comes from, i suppose its the same as people thinking all Americans are stupid. We obviously have exactly the same characteristic's as everyone else who is from the same country (sarc).
Apologies to the few smart Americans i see post on this site.
Nit: It appears as though you see nothing wrong with Jimmy's teeth since everyone there has equally bad teeth. I guess you cant see the forest for the trees. It's clear that the Brits have some sort of "bad tooth gene" that's run rampant.
you make your mind up on a nation of 62 million on 1 person, so now i can say that because i think your stupid, all Americans must be too
of course there are people with bad teeth, in the UK and the rest of the world, that is why it stands to reason that there must be some smart Americans out there but you certainally are not one of them
Nit says: "I think your stupid". Obviously you need help with "English". It's "you're". It seems like your grammar is no better than your teeth. You're welcome.
who said i was English? English is a second language for me so i think the odd mistake is understandable, i just dont like people who dump everyone in the same group.
i used to be a big fan of Jimmy Savile when i was young, even wrote into Jim'll fix it, that TV show even became a school project he was so popular. i never thought anything untoward until i watch Louis Theroux weird weekends. it was an interview with Jimmy and he came across as so bizarre. i didn't actually think he was a pedophile from watching the programme, but strange and abusive, he openly admitted to locking "naughty" children in cupboards for hours. what i found most disturbing was the way he spoke about his own mother (the duchess as he called her and was living with her up until her death), it made me think that he was sleeping with her!! i would recommend that anyone who doesn't really know who Jimmy Saville is (probably most people commenting on this board (not to be patronizing)) should take a look at this programme. i never looked at him the same way again.
I wrote to him too. I wanted to be set on fire like in the movies. Now I'm glad he didn't respond; sounds like it would have only been my arse burning...
me too, im glad he didn't respond, i think the fact that i was living in West Germany at the time put him off, he couldn't be bothered with the travelling lol
He looks like Richard Harris as Dumbledore
Bob in LG
Interesting that Julia denies none of the creepy, bad teeth, etc charges.
Morning Bob, did you actually read my comment? Anyway, play Devil's Advocate all you want, we are missing the picture here, hundreds of children were molested by sick pedophiles and will probably be haunted for the rest of their days. They are the ones I care about. If you want to insult Brits go ahead. Now I am off to brush my teeth with some black shoe polish. Have a nice day Bob!