Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Jimmy Savile

149 replies

Andontothenextproblem · 12/10/2023 23:36

Just finished The Reckoning on BBC and despite watching countless documentaries, interviews and reading dozens of articles it’s really left me with more questions and intrigue (in a completely disgusted way) than ever.

What a disturbed an complex person he was but I find myself wanting to know why and how he managed to end up the way he was.

In particular his weird and verging on inappropriate views and relationship with his mother…

His dislike and cold view of children…was he a paedophile or someone who was just addicted to sex.

Was there any proof of him actually committing necrophilia or just a rumour..

Did he think his good deeds outweighed his bad or was everything he did done so with ulterior motives?

What was his relationship with the mayor had Ice cream man in Scarborough?

What did locals really think of him..

And how did he manage to worm his way to the top (royalty, politicians, head consultants) from near enough nothing…

How could someone be so narcissistic and a social path but such a loner and never have a wife/partner to mask…

My list of questions is absolutely endless…

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
Gilead · 13/10/2023 00:50

His relationship with his mother was a love hate one; constantly seeking approval but also controlling. I can only think that he kept her with him when she died as an act of control.
Coogan was superb!

TheShellBeach · 13/10/2023 00:56

He was a psychopath and they're very, very good at getting their own way.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/10/2023 01:00

What would you call someone who has sex with a child if not a paedophille?

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/10/2023 01:02

** not being snarky,but of course he was a paedophille,also a predator /rapist.

sprigatito · 13/10/2023 01:15

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/10/2023 01:00

What would you call someone who has sex with a child if not a paedophille?

I think there is a distinction between the kind of sicko who is sexually and romantically attracted to children and the kind who uses sex and sexual violence as a tool of control. I think Savile was both, personally.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/10/2023 15:58

It's all control.

TroglodytesTroglodytes · 13/10/2023 16:22

I thought that, although well done, it was just odd that we never saw any of his other family. It was as if they were trying to portray this weird codependency mother/son relationship but where were all the siblings? Mrs Saville had 7 children. Surely there were signs in his childhood about his character. It would also have been interesting to explore the role of Jimmy’s father too.

LakeTiticaca · 13/10/2023 16:52

Many People seemed to be in thrall to him, despite a lot of those people being aware of what he was. Parents were warned not to leave their daughters alone with him.
Nurses at the hospitals endeavoured never to leave him alone with young female patients.
He was actually interviewed by the Police but no further action was taken. He threatened people.
They kept quiet. The girls in the children's home were told nobody would believe them, they were juvenile delinquents.
He was utterly repulsive both in looks and personality.

He inveigled himself into high society and had people bowing and scraping to him.
It's a shame he never faced justice while he was still alive

fearfuloffluff · 13/10/2023 16:58

I saw it. I think dramatisations often downplay how fucked up the general culture was and how much has changed.

70s/80s/90s it was just expected young men would try it on with young women and it was up to girls to resist. And that if you had sex you were 'fair game'. Being beeped at, shouted at, sexual comments were part of daily life.

He was gross and a predator but I think just about all men had attitudes then that had slight shades of contempt for women, expressed through banter.

GrandTheftWalrus · 13/10/2023 16:59

I'm halfway through episode 3 and Steve Coogan has nailed the acting. Even DH said he sounded so like him.

I also like how it shows original footage as well.

As others have said he was a psychopath and knew how to use it.

Who would believe some wee lassie in a home over saint Jimmy?

IHaveAskedYouThriceNow · 13/10/2023 17:02

He wasn’t popular at all in Scarborough, but still acted like a local hero. (Based on what I’ve been told by friends who lived there).

I also had a friend who did her nurse training in Leeds - he was known to have an access all areas key, so nurses would share bedrooms and barricade themselves in so he couldn’t get to them. He had a fascination with the morgue and apparently spent a lot of time there, but I don’t think anyone has any evidence of anything going on in there.

IHaveAskedYouThriceNow · 13/10/2023 17:05

fearfuloffluff · 13/10/2023 16:58

I saw it. I think dramatisations often downplay how fucked up the general culture was and how much has changed.

70s/80s/90s it was just expected young men would try it on with young women and it was up to girls to resist. And that if you had sex you were 'fair game'. Being beeped at, shouted at, sexual comments were part of daily life.

He was gross and a predator but I think just about all men had attitudes then that had slight shades of contempt for women, expressed through banter.

And yes, completely agree with this.
I know someone who was dramatically fired from her job as a waitress when she tipped food all over a man who groped her up her skirt when serving him - she was in huge trouble, had to pay to have his clothes cleaned and was kicked out when she refused, and wouldn’t apologise. He literally sexually assaulted her.

70s and 80s were like the Wild West for women.

Floogal · 13/10/2023 17:23

The one thing I'm wondering about, if he were still alive today (would be in his mid 90s), would he have eventually faced justice? Would he have carried on offending into his 90s?

Steve Coogan really nailed this role. Will be hard to watch his comedy things (Alan Partridge) again as he was so accurate. Put me off 😓

BloodyHellKen · 13/10/2023 17:27

Dairymilkandtea · 13/10/2023 17:10

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2143213/BBC-presenter-lifts-lid-cannabis-fuelled-hotbed-illicit-sex-time-Play-School.html

It was a harrowing watch, judging by this article the BBC seemed like a cesspit at the time, grim.

Well that's soiled my childhood memories - especially Fingerbobs which I loved 😳

Bananaman123 · 13/10/2023 17:38

Shaun Atwood did a good doc on YouTube but I don’t think you will ever get these answers

greengreengrass25 · 13/10/2023 17:40

TroglodytesTroglodytes · 13/10/2023 16:22

I thought that, although well done, it was just odd that we never saw any of his other family. It was as if they were trying to portray this weird codependency mother/son relationship but where were all the siblings? Mrs Saville had 7 children. Surely there were signs in his childhood about his character. It would also have been interesting to explore the role of Jimmy’s father too.

Yes I was thinking that as well

Did his die in the war perhaps

greengreengrass25 · 13/10/2023 17:40

Dad

FictionalCharacter · 13/10/2023 18:21

If you haven’t seen it, the Netflix series “A British Horror Story” gives a lot of factual information.
There are other documentaries on YouTube too, including interviews with him and with victims.

@IHaveAskedYouThriceNow Savile often used to say or suggest what he was doing quite openly, even to camera, and it was all disguised (and taken) as a joke. The morgue stuff was more than rumours. He used to take bodies to the morgue alone (he had keys) and he bragged to staff about what he did with them.
He often used the phrase “muck about” and it’s clear with hindsight, listening to his interviews, that this was code for sexual abuse.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jun/26/savile-bodies-sex-acts-corpses-glass-eyes-mortuary

Savile told hospital staff he performed sex acts on corpses in Leeds mortuary

Former TV presenter said he posed with bodies in lewd positions and stole glass eyes, Broadmoor nurse tells investigators

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jun/26/savile-bodies-sex-acts-corpses-glass-eyes-mortuary

aqiarious · 13/10/2023 19:16

Steve Coogan was great in the role, as was the actress who played his mother.

It was grim viewing but it surprised me as to how little I knew about him or what he did, and the sheer number of people he abused.

greengreengrass25 · 13/10/2023 19:26

Gemma Jones was his mother

Tiff3312k · 13/10/2023 19:28

@TroglodytesTroglodytes I've not watched it yet but perhaps his siblings are ashamed? I would be. Interesting point though.

Saville was best man at someone's wedding I know... the wife husband was very good friends with Saville. The wife's husband looks like a pervert also! Obviously nobody has said that to her... but myself and colleagues have discussed this amongst ourselves.

aqiarious · 13/10/2023 19:29

greengreengrass25 · 13/10/2023 19:26

Gemma Jones was his mother

Thank you! I know who she is now. I thought she looked familiar.

greengreengrass25 · 13/10/2023 19:34
Smile

She's excellent and plays lots of different characters

She was the Duchess of Duke Street

Spambod · 13/10/2023 19:36

I thought the reckoning was superb. He sat down with a psychiatrist in 1991 can’t remember the name of the program. Give it a google op it was fascinating. They had some interesting insights about him. There is an article as well.