# UK Dopers, and anyone else following the story - do you think Jimmy Saville "dun it"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444 "2012-10-02T01:04:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/121 "2012-10-15T11:03:32Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Wait, what??? He fucked dead people too? [Finally hit the papers](http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4589779/Hospital-to-probe-Jimmy-Saviles-lone-visits-to-morgue.html) - “TWISTED Jimmy Savile may have sexually abused CORPSES as well as kids, it emerged last night.” (guess what paper lol) ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/122 "2012-10-15T21:08:27Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > [Finally hit the papers](http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4589779/Hospital-to-probe-Jimmy-Saviles-lone-visits-to-morgue.html) - “TWISTED Jimmy Savile may have sexually abused CORPSES as well as kids, it emerged last night.” (guess what paper lol) Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, someone cites The Sun :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/123 "2012-10-23T21:27:28Z")
I guess this thread probably needs reviving - as the BBC is now reporting on it (the Savile controversy, that is, not this thread) - the subject was addressed by Panorama last night (serious current affairs programme) - it looks as though a NewsNight investigation into Savile (apparently having discovered the same truths about Savile as have been recently broadcast) was shut down, and a tribute to Savile was aired instead. > **[Jimmy Savile: Nine BBC staff facing abuse allegations](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/9628780/Jimmy-Savile-What-George-Entwistle-told-MPs-about-Panorama-justthewomen-Newsnight-and-the-conversation-at-the-Hilton-Hotel.html)** > > Director-general George Entwistle admits evidence is emerging of a wider scandal within the corporation as MPs urge him to get a grip. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/124 "2012-10-23T22:00:03Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I guess this thread probably needs reviving - as the BBC is now reporting on it (the Savile controversy, that is, not this thread) - the subject was addressed by Panorama last night (serious current affairs programme) - it looks as though a NewsNight investigation into Savile (apparently having discovered the same truths about Savile as have been recently broadcast) was shut down, and a tribute to Savile was aired instead. > > [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/9628780/Jimmy-Savile-What-George-Entwistle-told-MPs-about-Panorama-justthewomen-Newsnight-and-the-conversation-at-the-Hilton-Hotel.html](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/9628780/Jimmy-Savile-What-George-Entwistle-told-MPs-about-Panorama-justthewomen-Newsnight-and-the-conversation-at-the-Hilton-Hotel.html) It looks likely that Peter Rippon, the Newsnight editor, made the decision to kill it without informing management. Some of the comments he’s made in a leaked email suggest that he didn’t think the offences were serious. He even suggests that the girls “weren’t too young” and he kept asking for more proof. It’s an odd situation. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/125 "2012-10-24T08:02:51Z")
Paul Gambaccini : 'Who vetted the knighthood? Coco the clown? ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/126 "2012-10-24T10:40:32Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > [Finally hit the papers](http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4589779/Hospital-to-probe-Jimmy-Saviles-lone-visits-to-morgue.html) - “TWISTED Jimmy Savile may have sexually abused CORPSES as well as kids, it emerged last night.” (guess what paper lol) I’m sure it’s been said elsewhere, but if this aspect of the story is true, Jimmy can go f\*ck himself. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/127 "2012-10-24T14:33:41Z")
At least the BBC is man enough for allowing _Panorama_ to investigate _Newsnight_. I don’t think that would ever happen (say) with the Murdoch press. Imagine the _Sunday Times_ carrying out a full and critical investigation of the hacking activities of the _NOW_ or the _Sun_. It would never happen. The press doesn’t come out any better than the BBC. For years they had heard rumours about Saville’s activities but they never followed up on them. Even when in January a couple of papers reported _Newsnight_ dropping that investigation they never bothered to ask themselves if there was any mileage in the story. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/128 "2012-10-24T14:56:27Z")
I liked this about Piers Moron (sorry Morgan):- \*Piers Morgan, Mail on Sunday, 21 October 2012: The Jimmy Savile scandal grows more horrific by the minute. I never met him.\* \*Piers Morgan, Mail on Sunday, 15 March 2009: Saturday, March 7 An old friend of mine, Stephen Purdew - who owns various top health clubs, including Champneys - had his wedding at Claridge’s hotel… As I left, Jimmy Savile came up to me. ‘Your TV shows are BRILLIANT!’ he exclaimed. ‘And as I’ve been in the telly business for 50 years, you can take that as an informed view.’ I’ve always loved Jimmy Savile.\* I think there has been lots of collective amnesia amongst the British press over Savile. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/129 "2012-10-25T18:55:00Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > At least the BBC is man enough for allowing _Panorama_ to investigate _Newsnight_. I don’t think that would ever happen (say) with the Murdoch press. Imagine the _Sunday Times_ carrying out a full and critical investigation of the hacking activities of the _NOW_ or the _Sun_. It would never happen. The BBC enjoys a bit of self-flagellation, I’m sure of it. > [@](#): > > The press doesn’t come out any better than the BBC. For years they had heard rumours about Saville’s activities but they never followed up on them. Even when in January a couple of papers reported _Newsnight_ dropping that investigation they never bothered to ask themselves if there was any mileage in the story. I’m amazed at how deep it seems to be going. As I said upthread, I always suspected something dark was going on with him, but the sheer mountain of allegations coming out now is starting to make we wonder if it can really be true. How is it that _all this happened_ and all of it remained under cover? all of it. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/130 "2012-10-25T19:46:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > The BBC enjoys a bit of self-flagellation, I’m sure of it. Self-defence mechanism, the knives are out for it, so its best option is to pre-empt any attacks. > [@Mangetout](#): > > I’m amazed at how deep it seems to be going. As I said upthread, I always suspected something dark was going on with him, but the sheer mountain of allegations coming out now is starting to make we wonder if it can really be true. How is it that _all this happened_ and all of it remained under cover? all of it. It seems to have been somewhat wider than Savile, and there are rumours now that someone on John Major’s staff was involved in a paedophile ring. I suspect that power/fame was being used to cover up an awful lot of child abuse prior to the 21st century and the changes in child protection. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/131 "2012-10-25T20:53:29Z")
There’s been rumours about Ted Heath for ages, but they tend to be coming from the “google hollie grieg!!?11/11/1//11!!!” lot; I thought Ted Heath when I saw the headlines today anyway. I can’t see child molesting being acceptable by the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/132 "2012-10-25T21:22:56Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > I can’t see child molesting being acceptable by the 90s. Not acceptable, but lesser drive to investigate rumours, believe reports and achieve convictions. Power and fame (something that apparently Savile had) have until recently been shields against this kind of thing. You just have to look at the way the police have changed how they deal with victims of rape in the past ten or fifteen years, to see that there has been a vast change with regards to sexual offences, their reporting and investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/133 "2012-10-26T06:35:40Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > the “google hollie grieg!!?11/11/1//11!!!” lot What does this mean in plain English, please? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/134 "2012-10-26T08:32:30Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > At least the BBC is man enough for allowing _Panorama_ to investigate _Newsnight_. I don’t think that would ever happen (say) with the Murdoch press. Imagine the _Sunday Times_ carrying out a full and critical investigation of the hacking activities of the _NOW_ or the _Sun_. It would never happen. > > The press doesn’t come out any better than the BBC. For years they had heard rumours about Saville’s activities but they never followed up on them. Even when in January a couple of papers reported _Newsnight_ dropping that investigation they never bothered to ask themselves if there was any mileage in the story. People are asking how this could have happened but it really doesn’t seem too surprising to me. Shocking in scale and scope, but not surprising. We saw it with the Catholic church, we could see it in pretty much any organisation or individual with a veneer of respectability and a talent for self-promotion. The pope? untouchable, Mother Theresa? untouchable. Yes, it seems like Jimmy Savile was indeed considered to be in that exalted company. The BBC editorial staff will beat themselves up over the Newsnight decision but I can see exactly why they may have wavered at the time. If their hand was forced at a higher level then it becomes interesting. As has been alluded to above there may well be a wider context to this and apparently there are going to be some very famous names questioned by the police over the coming days, whether that is in connection with their abuse or their complicity I guess we will have to wait to find out. I hope that, if anything, this error helps to ensure freedom of editorial control in the BBC news departments. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/135 "2012-10-26T15:26:31Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > As I said upthread, I always suspected something dark was going on with him, but the sheer mountain of allegations coming out now is starting to make we wonder if it can really be true. How is it that _all this happened_ and all of it remained under cover? all of it. But it didn’t remain undercover, people did make reports, nothing was done. Being alone in a room with some pervert who gropes you or worse, it’s your word against his, and Savile was powerful and influencial. I’m not surprised at all that people are now chiming in with their experiences. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/136 "2012-10-26T16:05:07Z")
> [@Staggerlee](#): > > I’m sure it’s been said elsewhere, but if this aspect of the story is true, Jimmy can go f\*ck himself. Latest rumor, Savile even fucked himself! You heard it here first, folks. [A bit of perspective, here](http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/12973/). I don’t have any difficulty in believing that Savile was a major creep. He always made me feel faintly uncomfortable, not-so-faintly the one time I briefly saw him in the flesh (not molesting a kid, but scaring one). I certainly never understood why he was popular or admired. But things are getting out of hand. We have seen what happens in these pedophile panics before. Hardly any real pedophiles actually get caught, but lot of innocent people, including a lot of children, get their lives destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/137 "2012-10-26T16:41:05Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > [A bit of perspective, here](http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/12973/). What a strange journey the old RCP/Living Marxism crew have taken. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/138 "2012-10-26T17:10:13Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > What a strange journey the old RCP/Living Marxism crew have taken. Yeah, I wouldn’t trust them, spiked online/RCP/LM that is, to get on the right side of any story with their history of making shit up and being contrarian. That’s quite a cult Furedi built round himself. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/139 "2012-10-26T23:22:52Z")
[This is just odd](http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=19Rs267AO9A&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D19Rs267AO9A).(YouTube) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444/140 "2012-10-26T23:56:34Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > [This is just odd](http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=19Rs267AO9A&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D19Rs267AO9A).(YouTube) Non-mobile link: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/19Rs267AO9A/hqdefault.jpg "Jimmy Savile abuse claims leave BBC scrambling") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19Rs267AO9A) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-and-anyone-else-following-the-story-do-you-think-jimmy-saville-dun-it/636444.md?page=8)