Post date: Oct 12, 2012 11:38:58 PM
Claims that Jimmy Savile, British entertainer who died last year and was knighted by the Queen for his charitable work, had sexually abused schoolgirls while working at the BBC have shattered his reputation and raised suggestions the state-funded broadcaster covered up allegations against one of its top entertainers.
(OCTOBER 2, 2012) (ITV) - To millions of Britons, Jimmy Savile was a flamboyant cigar-chomping disc jockey, children's TV presenter and dedicated charity fundraiser, instantly recognisable from his long blonde hair, eccentric clothing and flashy jewellery.
But claims Savile, who died last year and was knighted by the queen for his charitable work, had sexually abused schoolgirls while working at the BBC have shattered his reputation and raised suggestions the state-funded broadcaster covered up allegations against one of its top entertainers.Savile was a household name in Britain, firstly as a pioneering BBC radio DJ in the 1960s before later hosting prime-time pop and children's TV shows, with his catchphrases becoming part of the national lexicon.
When he died in October last year aged 84, his gold coffin went on public display and he was lauded as a "national treasure" who had raised millions of pounds for good causes.
But that image was shattered by allegations made in a documentary broadcast on commercial TV on Wednesday (October 3).
"Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile" claims he sexually abused underage girls and some 10 women have come forward to the media to say they were his victims.
The victims' allegations include claims from one woman that she saw rock star Gary Glitter, who was convicted of abusing two girls in Vietnam in 2006, having sex with an underage girl in Savile's BBC dressing room while Savile abused another girl.
"Jimmy Savile had a girl on his lap and he had his hand up her skirt and inside her underwear. She came from Duncroft and she was 14 and we were good friends. The girl Gary Glitter was having sex with also came from Duncroft. I think she might have been not quite 14. But we were all from Duncroft that day," Karin Ward, a woman who has waived her anonymity
and came forward to the media to say she was his victims.
Ward said she and other girls she says were abused by Savile were students of "an approved school for intelligent but emotionally disturbed girls"
Ward who initially told her story of abuse to Newsnight, the BBC's flagship TV news show, said she was "aggrieved" when she learnt her interview had been shelved because it meant she had not been believed "once again".
"Really quite upset. Because it wasn't easy. This isn't easy. It's not easy to come out and admit to something that you're actually bitterly ashamed of. I am ashamed of that. It's disgusting. What I did...it's not easy. It's never easy to admit that you're a victim. It's never easy to admit that you did anything you're ashamed of. Having done it and found it was scrapped. Didn't matter. Once again. Yes. Upset...aggrieved...angry," Ward said.
Revelations that an investigation by Newsnight were shelved last December led to claims bosses at the broadcaster knew about the allegations but kept quiet.
The BBC has denied that and said its investigations unit would help police who have launched an inquiry into the claims.
"A number of serious and disturbing allegations have been made over the past few days about the sexual abuse of teenage girls by Sir Jimmy Savile," the BBC said in a statement.
"Some of these allegations relate to activity on BBC premises in the 1960s and 70s. We are horrified by allegations that anything of this sort could have happened at the BBC - or have been carried out by anyone working for the BBC."
Former BBC executives admitted there had been rumours about Savile, but dismissed suggestions they had turned a blind eye to the indiscretions of celebrities.
Newsnight's editor Peter Rippon said his decision not to run its story into the allegations was because the claims could not be substantiated.
Savile's nephew, Vivian Savile said the claims were only coming out now because his uncle was unable to respond and libel laws no longer applied.