Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think the Scott Mills and Savile comparison is unfair?

44 replies

RachelTopliss · 25/04/2026 23:48

I don't know the full details of what's gone on surrounding Scott Mills, who I liked on the radio. However I've seen comments underneath news articles and on social media where people silence anyone who says they miss him on the radio or hope he's ok by saying variations on "I bet you loved Jimmy Savile too". AIBU to think this is a ridiculous and unfair comparison?

OP posts:
Bbq1 · 26/04/2026 11:24

mumofoneAloneandwell · 26/04/2026 00:00

Yanbu

Its the same with schofield imo

Philip Schifield was thrown under the bus.

Cheese55 · 26/04/2026 11:13

mumofoneAloneandwell · 26/04/2026 00:09

Oo true, although it was a lavender marriage

What got me about that, wasn't the lavender marriage, but the coming out as gay on tv, announcing his marriage a lie - she wasn't even there and it seemed like none of the crew had any idea of what was going on😕

Show quote history

I'm not sure he fully knew he was gay when he got married. Coming out on TV was planned with the crew but not whoever was presenting that day, although they were told there would be an 'announcement'.

Cheese55 · 26/04/2026 11:06

RachelTopliss · 26/04/2026 00:02

Philip Schofield cheated on his wife though so slightly different but not in Jimmy territory at all.

Show quote history

Im sure he and his wife had an 'arrangement' for years.

Batmanshat · 26/04/2026 10:56

What about John Peel?

He is idolised by the BBC. They mentioned him positively in an article last week. And he's mentioned throughout Glastonbury.

It's very confusing

LizzieSiddal · 26/04/2026 10:54

No he’s not like Saville but you’ve set a very low bar.

There’s a minority of older gay men being predatory against very young gay men. My Dd lived in Brighton and saw it all the time, she was shocked at how acceptable it was and it’s right it’s now being called out. Young gay men are as vulnerable as young women and they need protecting.

Bertiebiscuit · 26/04/2026 10:47

Given that sex abusers are overwhelmingly men, and they rarely get caught or punished, i don't see any point in debating which was worst. We will never know the extent of their abusing,they lie and lie, survivors and victims are routinely not believed and discredited so how can we judge. Any abuse is evil, all abusers are evil. All should be punished severely.

lazyarse123 · 26/04/2026 10:46

LimbOnTheTreeTheTreeInTheHoleTheHoleInTheGround · 26/04/2026 10:32

Probably best to not start ranking (alleged) child abusers into categories of 'better' and 'worse'.

They are all bad.

This. How much sexual abuse is acceptable? As a survivor of csa i am well qualified to say the answer is none. Attempting it is as bad as doing it.

GivingUpGivingIn · 26/04/2026 10:41

He wasn't 53 at the time of the alleged offences. He was 23.
Age of consent for gay men at the time was 18.
Any activity between a 23 year old and a 15 year old still falls into grooming/unacceptable age gap for many because it is an eight year gap and you have an exploitative power dynamic there.
Same as Russell Brand sleeping with a 16 year old when he was 30 (although not going to court for that, it isn't part of the upcoming prosecution, as it was immoral but not illegal allegedly).

Original poster
RachelTopliss · 26/04/2026 10:40

Naunet · 26/04/2026 10:24

Lied about this age?! Ugh, why are people still using this as an excuse? He's 53 for ffs, when you get to that age, 14 and 16 looks the same, and you know that, so taking a punt is no fucking excuse. It also automatically paints the victim as the villan, lying to have sex and then running to the police. You're right, you don't know what happened, so maybe give the victim the same grace you're giving an alleged child abuser. Just a thought.

Show quote history

He wasn't 53 at the time of the alleged incident. He was about 22. I'm not making excuses, I'm looking at what MAY have happened. Which is nothing like Jimmy Savile.

OP posts:
LimbOnTheTreeTheTreeInTheHoleTheHoleInTheGround · 26/04/2026 10:32

Probably best to not start ranking (alleged) child abusers into categories of 'better' and 'worse'.

They are all bad.

Naunet · 26/04/2026 10:24

RachelTopliss · 26/04/2026 09:58

No, people think it's different because of the fact based evidence of Jimmy Savile being a manipulative predator of underage and disabled children over the same time span as Scott Mills has been alive.

I don't see how that's comparable. Like I said we don't know the full story about Scott Mills. He could have met someone who lied about their age, for example. We don't know. Likening him to JS just shows a lack of critical thinking and stupidity.

Show quote history

Lied about this age?! Ugh, why are people still using this as an excuse? He's 53 for ffs, when you get to that age, 14 and 16 looks the same, and you know that, so taking a punt is no fucking excuse. It also automatically paints the victim as the villan, lying to have sex and then running to the police. You're right, you don't know what happened, so maybe give the victim the same grace you're giving an alleged child abuser. Just a thought.

Original poster
RachelTopliss · 26/04/2026 09:58

Blueeyedmale · 26/04/2026 06:29

If the allegations against Scott Mills are true then why should it be any different do people think it's different beacuse the alleged victim is an underage boy.

No, people think it's different because of the fact based evidence of Jimmy Savile being a manipulative predator of underage and disabled children over the same time span as Scott Mills has been alive.

I don't see how that's comparable. Like I said we don't know the full story about Scott Mills. He could have met someone who lied about their age, for example. We don't know. Likening him to JS just shows a lack of critical thinking and stupidity.

OP posts:
Letamumsleep · 26/04/2026 06:30

Schofield has been known to prefer underage boys for a long time. There’s enough stories being silenced. He is just like Saville.

I agree on Mills on though. Although all are disgusting.

Blueeyedmale · 26/04/2026 06:29

If the allegations against Scott Mills are true then why should it be any different do people think it's different beacuse the alleged victim is an underage boy.

hattie43 · 26/04/2026 06:27

We don’t really know the full extent of what Scott mills has done do we , it’d have to be depraved to be a jimmy saville level or rolf Harris .

JMSA · 26/04/2026 06:05

They’re all gross.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 26/04/2026 00:09

RachelTopliss · 26/04/2026 00:02

Philip Schofield cheated on his wife though so slightly different but not in Jimmy territory at all.

Show quote history

Oo true, although it was a lavender marriage

What got me about that, wasn't the lavender marriage, but the coming out as gay on tv, announcing his marriage a lie - she wasn't even there and it seemed like none of the crew had any idea of what was going on😕

Original poster
RachelTopliss · 26/04/2026 00:02

mumofoneAloneandwell · 26/04/2026 00:00

Yanbu

Its the same with schofield imo

Philip Schofield cheated on his wife though so slightly different but not in Jimmy territory at all.

OP posts:
mumofoneAloneandwell · 26/04/2026 00:00

Yanbu

Its the same with schofield imo