To think that Saville was NEVER a "Much loved family favourite"???

[MrsWinnibago]

Sorry to start a thread about this sick, awful animal but they just said on Radio 4 that he was a much loved family favourite.

I CLEARLY remember watching him on Jim'l Fix It and thinking "Oh he's HORRIBLE!"

I hated him...he was frightening and I could see that some children were very scared of him on that show.

Did ANYONE actually enjoy his "performances" and appearances?? I don't think so.

I think the establishment kept him where he was...on TV and in positions of power because he knew too much about THEIR activities.

And it's funny how it all came out once he was dead and couldn't name anyone else.

I challenge anyone to think back and remember how much they "loved" him at the time before his activities were known.

I have read through the posts and I can't see any victim blaming, what did I miss?

I think the press and the BBC had more to do with bigging Saville up as the nations favourite.

They said the same about Bruce Forsyth and Bob Monkhouse, but I could never stand either of them. When Brucie pops it no doubt he'll be a "well loved Saturday night favourite" and they'll play down his awful manner and dab of racism...

Limited - I don't think the OP is trying to victim blame - or blame their parents for sending them into the path of someone obviously dodgy as hell, but more, the fact it's repeated over and over that he was this 'family favorite' while at the same time, lots of people hated him - I think though, the OP is missing that there was less competition for TV audiences back then, whereas stars now get very limited chances and then flung out because if people don't like them and turn over, the TV producers get someone else in quickly. Back then, someone could be dire, but as long as they were up against a more dire show (and it for most of his career, there was only 4 or fewer channels, one of which seemed to be showing horse racing, minority sports or ballet for the whole of my childhood...), then they would be deemed to be popular enough to keep their job.

I always hated Jim Davidson, even as young child, and so many people seemed to agree, yet he had saturday night shows over and over, and with limited competition, put someone on an entertaining show on Saturday night on either BBC1 or ITV and they would have a hit on their hands, and keep being rehired. That lots of people hated the presenter, didn't really matter so long as they kept watching while grumbling about it.

Probably this inate revulsion was overridden by the attitude of parents in some cases.

Could have a point there, if my Mum's negative opinions on Nelson Mandela certain public figures subconsciously influenced me so deeply then conversely it could well be that parental approval of certain other individuals gave children the impression they might be OK after all.

*For the benefit of those crying victim blaming, I'm on about children sitting at home watching TV, NOT victims of abuse.

Pag as I say, I didn't "know" I just had a strong aversion to him.

Limited my DH thought Jule's Hootenanny was live! Bless him.

I think it's worth remembering that with many abusers of children - I'd say most, actually, they are as far from the "creepy old man" image as possible.

They dress in suits and casual clothes, they have bright, white-toothed smiles; they laugh, go to church (sometimes) or volunteer for CAB or similar. They can be the very epitome of middle class, middle England, males, or even females. They are teachers, doctors, solicitors, nurses, bank managers, pilots, engineers, biologists, vets. They are the people you've known for years.

I knew a man who downloaded images of children being abused. The shock was horrific. I didn't have any instinct about him. That's why they are so dangerous - you don't get that voice saying something isn't right, you don't feel an uneasy sense of disquiet. You trust and you like and you love.

Mary I don't know...surely they pulled loads of shows back then...if they didn't go down well.

Excellent points made Mary

Oh, I hat this. It always happens -"Oh, I knew he was a wrong 'un"

No you didn't.

"I'm quite sure the children he abused didn't submit willingly, and knew better than anyone he was a creepy perv."

If only it were that clear-cut. Many paedophiles are clever, and know exactly how to charm their way into children's and parents' affections. Abused children often feel guilt because they know something is wrong, but they trust and like their abuser and don't want to get them into trouble; or even guilt that they were 'willing' participants. This emotional manipulation is part of what makes it such a heinous crime.

wonder who published this little book?

OP - they pulled shows that didn't get viewers, not ones that were a hit, but the audience hated the presenters.

Take Jim Davidson (not suggesting they were wrong to clear him or anythign like that, I just think he's unfunny and clearly a sexist wanker), he presented that snooker show, generation game and another I've forgotten over the years. The shows themselves where actually quite entertaining and good for the time, and got large audiences, that a lot of people didn't like the presenter didnt really factor.

But would they have had the ratings technology and access to the public point of view that they have today MrsW?

It's so much easier to get an instant feel of a program these days I think. And also it's hard to separate the program from the presenter.

I bet most of the people who can't stand Brucie actually really like the concept of Strictly for example.

I couldn't stand the Black and White Minstrel Show, Saturday night special, and all that other cabaret crap, but with three channels at least one of them was on in the background on a Saturday night when Nan came over for tea.

I also think the tv stations pandered to the older generation as the mass market in days gone by. Now they diversify by age and culture a lot more.

Ah! The benefit of hindsight!

It's very easy to sit here now and say 'Of course I never liked him, I always knew that there was something wrong with him, I never wanted to go on his show'.

The subtext is therefore I am safe, I can spot a peado, I won't fall for their tricks, I can protect the ones I love.

I'm afraid it's a bit like saying I wouldn't go out dressed like that, I wouldn't get drunk like that, therefore bad things won't happen to me.

It's not really true and most importantly it doesn't help the victims as there is the implication that if you could tell he was bad they should have known that too.

Remember as well, a lot of people are just overwhelmed by "fame" if someone is famous then they must be alright. You feel you know them, even when they are a complete stranger, because they've been in your sitting room every saturday night on the TV. You've read about them in the papers. He wasn't a stranger they were trusting their DCs to, but that Jimmy Saville from the TV. It was an honour to have a famous person's attention.

Hak what a silly thing to say. It contributes nothing.

Mothership It's NOTHING like saying "Oh I wouldn;t go out dressed like that" NOTHING. I'm talking about me as a child with a "feeling" about a presenter. I was interested if others had had the same.

that's all. It's got FUCK ALL to do with victim blaming!!!

I always liked the idea of Jim'll fix it but found him utterly creepy and revolting.

I found wurzel gummidge creepy, too. I had a long creepy list.

Mother and there is NO implication. That never even occurred to me! I'm very angry you would say that about me! I KNOW that people like him are sly as sly can be and use every inch of power they have...I KNOW THAT! So keep your nasty implications about my intentions on this thread.

I knew. No reason other than, as upthread, it was daily playground stuff. I thought everyone knew. I could never understand how he got away with it.

Then the necrophilia stuff, I must have heard about that maybe in the 90s.

I don't think that he was a favourite but the programme, "Jim'll Fix It" certainly was.

I wonder how many more vile celebs have gone to their graves with the same horrible legacy that nobody even became aware of? Quite a few I suspect; as well as many, many 'family men' whose loved ones are in blissful ignorance.

MrsWinnebago

I didn't refer to you. I was joining the thread.

I loved Jim'll Fix It, and always wanted to go on it so I could get one of this "Jim fixed it for me" medals. He was always very touchy feely with kids when I think back though, the signs were always there. My mum never liked him and wasn't at all surprised when it all came out about him being a pedophile.

Not sure he was a 'much loved family favourite' exactly but he was certainly presented as some kind of eccentric national treasure, the fixer of dreams. Even as a young child I remember being impressed by all the letters after his name in the credits of JFI, and asked my parents about them... I got the impression he must be very important, part of the establishment... friend of the royals etc. due to all his charity work.

I had the Jim'll Fix It annual when I was a kid (found it in the loft recently). There is a bit about his hospital work in there which makes very interesting reading. He describes how the doctors encouraged him to go and cheer up particular patients... There a cartoon of him with a six year old girl giving her a toy, and another of him standing over an old lady with a halo over his head as she thought he was an angel. It's just sickening how he was able to present himself and hide in plain sight.

I remember TV in the 70s as being much more entertaining than it is today.I supposed todays viewers are a lot more jaded

None of us are saying "we knew he was a wrong 'un." What we're saying is when we were kids he was not a 'much loved favourite' to us.

Perhaps people feel subconsciously uncomfortable that they used to really like him, so are suggesting that those of us who didn't are now victim blaming.

We used to watch Jim'll Fix It as a family and it didn't occur to me that he was doing all the things which have later come out. I think I was just naïve. He was rather odd, certainly, but I thought it was his television persona.