Savile; Now The, Now Then.
"Even today, it is impossible to fully assess Savile's crimes since the man died in 2011. However, we know at least 500 victims have come forward"
I grew up with Jimmy Savile. Anyone who lived in the UK during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s couldn't avoid his presence. He was everywhere on TV, in the newspapers, and always doing stuff. He advised us on road safety and made our wishes come true while acting like a kooky uncle.
We now understand why his behaviour was odd. Savile, a devout Catholic, lived with his mother until her death in 1972. He kept her clothes for many years afterwards, regularly laundering them.
"Jimmy Savile - A British Horror Story" — the new record-breaking Netflix programme claims to be a documentary. That's a misnomer. Why? Because much is missing. So, while we get a review of Savile's career and crimes, including a traumatic recounting of an attack on a young girl in a church, this two-episode series doesn't even scratch the surface.
I kept asking, "Who knew and when?" and "What did they do?" A genuine documentary would have delved much deeper to reveal those who facilitated, covered up, or turned a blind eye to Savile. A bit of investigation would uncover a wider cast of characters involving the very highest levels of British public life.
Instead, we see a series of video anecdotes selected to build and maintain the narrative that Savile, the master deceiver, manipulated the entire nation. No doubt, that's a version of events that those who worked with him, especially at the BBC, are eager to present as the truth. I don't buy it.
Even today, it is impossible to fully assess Savile's crimes since the man died in 2011. However, we know at least 500 victims have come forward. Many of these — male and female — were between the ages of 13 and 15, but some were as young as two years old. There is also evidence that he engaged in necrophilia. Either way, Savile remains Britain's most prolific sex offender.
However, I do not want to dismiss this programme as irrelevant because it served a useful purpose; it highlighted certain uncomfortable facts. For instance, we learn that Savile's links to the royals, especially Prince Charles, were significant. Journalist Alison Bellamy shares letters exchanged between Savile and the royal family, where Savile acted as an unofficial advisor. The volume of correspondence reveals the extent of their engagement.
The letters include Savile giving direct advice on how to handle the PR aspects of the Lockerbie disaster. And, in fairness, he offers excellent guidance on messaging and monitoring what everyone is saying through a command centre. It's good material, from which we may draw two conclusions. First, Savile is a slick operator who understands how to craft a message and ingratiate himself. The second is that the royals are out of touch with the real world. No surprise there.
There is no evidence that the royals were aware of Savile's illegal activities. However, Prince Charles is known to be a notoriously poor judge of character. He was captivated by the fake anthropologist Laurens van der Post and has demonstrated poor taste in his choice of companions.
We also learn that Margaret Thatcher championed Savile and his causes because they aligned with her doctrine of self-reliance. Savile didn't seek public funds; instead, he raised money through charity appeals. With her hallmark tireless resolve, Thatcher worked to secure Savile's public recognition with a knighthood. Sir Jimmy was delighted.
Yet, many already knew that he enjoyed 'little girls'. After all, he made no secret of it with such joking comments as, "I'm feared in every girls' school in Britain' and "My case comes up next Thursday."
There is ample substantiation that many in the entertainment industry knew Savile couldn't be trusted around young girls. Listen to John Lyndon, aka Johnny Rotten, and his experience in 1975. Likewise, Bill Oddie had enough honesty to clarify that 'everyone knew'.
Indeed, the nurses at the hospitals where he worked knew what was happening. They took steps to warn patients. I would like to know why hospital administrators did not act on the many complaints from nurses and others.
In a shocking move, Savile had the keys to the national lunatic bin. Granted unsupervised access, an office, and a bedroom, he could roam Broadmoor Hospital at will. This place is home to many of Britain's most disturbed criminals, many kept in states of chemical-induced passivity. An ideal setting for Savile to satisfy his perverse needs.
A recent analysis of Savile suggests he wasn't primarily driven by sex; instead, power was his main motivation. Importantly, this analysis determined that Savile was not criminally insane - he was aware of his actions, tested boundaries, and then escalated them if not stopped. In summary, there were several points where he could have been stopped.
Many people at the BBC and others have hidden behind the convenient shield of 'Savile grooming the nation' to avoid scrutinising their roles. Once again, they turn a blind eye.
This leads me to the British Police, whom Savile kept close. Even late in life, every Friday morning, a group of trusted police friends would gather at Savile's flat in Leeds. At this point, I'm shouting at the TV, "Who are these cops? What is their role?"
It is undoubtedly true that the documentary acknowledges the influence gained by Savile through association, but it does not explore it. Instead, we are left questioning who these senior police officers are, what was discussed, and the purpose of their regular sessions with Savile. However, Savile is not shy about asserting that he has top cover from the police, the royals, and the rest of the establishment.
He makes this clear in several public utterances. For example, in an interview published in The Independent on Sunday, Savile mentions finding relief in being knighted in 1990 because it got him "off the hook."
There is a connection to Hong Kong in all this. Former governor Chris Patten was Chair of the BBC when the Savile scandal broke; it is well known that the BBC sought to cover up its involvement in the Savile saga. However, like many aspects of the Savile affair, Patten's role was never thoroughly investigated independently. Nevertheless, he left the role with a tainted reputation.
As years pass and more details come to light, Jimmy Savile's facilitators must hope the story fades away. In that sense, this Netflix effort helps highlight how the likes of Savile operate behind a veil of powerful friends.
April 2022
We now understand why his behaviour was odd. Savile, a devout Catholic, lived with his mother until her death in 1972. He kept her clothes for many years afterwards, regularly laundering them.
"Jimmy Savile - A British Horror Story" — the new record-breaking Netflix programme claims to be a documentary. That's a misnomer. Why? Because much is missing. So, while we get a review of Savile's career and crimes, including a traumatic recounting of an attack on a young girl in a church, this two-episode series doesn't even scratch the surface.
I kept asking, "Who knew and when?" and "What did they do?" A genuine documentary would have delved much deeper to reveal those who facilitated, covered up, or turned a blind eye to Savile. A bit of investigation would uncover a wider cast of characters involving the very highest levels of British public life.
Instead, we see a series of video anecdotes selected to build and maintain the narrative that Savile, the master deceiver, manipulated the entire nation. No doubt, that's a version of events that those who worked with him, especially at the BBC, are eager to present as the truth. I don't buy it.
Even today, it is impossible to fully assess Savile's crimes since the man died in 2011. However, we know at least 500 victims have come forward. Many of these — male and female — were between the ages of 13 and 15, but some were as young as two years old. There is also evidence that he engaged in necrophilia. Either way, Savile remains Britain's most prolific sex offender.
However, I do not want to dismiss this programme as irrelevant because it served a useful purpose; it highlighted certain uncomfortable facts. For instance, we learn that Savile's links to the royals, especially Prince Charles, were significant. Journalist Alison Bellamy shares letters exchanged between Savile and the royal family, where Savile acted as an unofficial advisor. The volume of correspondence reveals the extent of their engagement.
The letters include Savile giving direct advice on how to handle the PR aspects of the Lockerbie disaster. And, in fairness, he offers excellent guidance on messaging and monitoring what everyone is saying through a command centre. It's good material, from which we may draw two conclusions. First, Savile is a slick operator who understands how to craft a message and ingratiate himself. The second is that the royals are out of touch with the real world. No surprise there.
There is no evidence that the royals were aware of Savile's illegal activities. However, Prince Charles is known to be a notoriously poor judge of character. He was captivated by the fake anthropologist Laurens van der Post and has demonstrated poor taste in his choice of companions.
We also learn that Margaret Thatcher championed Savile and his causes because they aligned with her doctrine of self-reliance. Savile didn't seek public funds; instead, he raised money through charity appeals. With her hallmark tireless resolve, Thatcher worked to secure Savile's public recognition with a knighthood. Sir Jimmy was delighted.
Yet, many already knew that he enjoyed 'little girls'. After all, he made no secret of it with such joking comments as, "I'm feared in every girls' school in Britain' and "My case comes up next Thursday."
There is ample substantiation that many in the entertainment industry knew Savile couldn't be trusted around young girls. Listen to John Lyndon, aka Johnny Rotten, and his experience in 1975. Likewise, Bill Oddie had enough honesty to clarify that 'everyone knew'.
Indeed, the nurses at the hospitals where he worked knew what was happening. They took steps to warn patients. I would like to know why hospital administrators did not act on the many complaints from nurses and others.
In a shocking move, Savile had the keys to the national lunatic bin. Granted unsupervised access, an office, and a bedroom, he could roam Broadmoor Hospital at will. This place is home to many of Britain's most disturbed criminals, many kept in states of chemical-induced passivity. An ideal setting for Savile to satisfy his perverse needs.
A recent analysis of Savile suggests he wasn't primarily driven by sex; instead, power was his main motivation. Importantly, this analysis determined that Savile was not criminally insane - he was aware of his actions, tested boundaries, and then escalated them if not stopped. In summary, there were several points where he could have been stopped.
Many people at the BBC and others have hidden behind the convenient shield of 'Savile grooming the nation' to avoid scrutinising their roles. Once again, they turn a blind eye.
This leads me to the British Police, whom Savile kept close. Even late in life, every Friday morning, a group of trusted police friends would gather at Savile's flat in Leeds. At this point, I'm shouting at the TV, "Who are these cops? What is their role?"
It is undoubtedly true that the documentary acknowledges the influence gained by Savile through association, but it does not explore it. Instead, we are left questioning who these senior police officers are, what was discussed, and the purpose of their regular sessions with Savile. However, Savile is not shy about asserting that he has top cover from the police, the royals, and the rest of the establishment.
He makes this clear in several public utterances. For example, in an interview published in The Independent on Sunday, Savile mentions finding relief in being knighted in 1990 because it got him "off the hook."
There is a connection to Hong Kong in all this. Former governor Chris Patten was Chair of the BBC when the Savile scandal broke; it is well known that the BBC sought to cover up its involvement in the Savile saga. However, like many aspects of the Savile affair, Patten's role was never thoroughly investigated independently. Nevertheless, he left the role with a tainted reputation.
As years pass and more details come to light, Jimmy Savile's facilitators must hope the story fades away. In that sense, this Netflix effort helps highlight how the likes of Savile operate behind a veil of powerful friends.
April 2022
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