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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Jimmy Savile

141 replies

wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 11:08

AIBU to say that the BBC should not be making a film about Jimmy Savile. They should not be profiting form his victims misery. Savile attacked at least 450 victims.

Once again his photograph is everywhere, retraumatising his victims who have been treated horrifically by the BBC.

for full disclosure I gave evidence at Operation Yewtree.

OP posts:
Stath · 17/10/2021 11:48

@wavingwhilstdrowning sending you lots of love and healing thoughts. You, and the other victims have been through so much and this must seem like a slap in the face.

Like you, and other posters, have said: the fact that this is being made by the BBC who were complicit in JS’s reign is abhorrent.

It’s like a Black Mirror plot. This isn’t some event that happened generations ago. This is something that went on until very recently. There are people still working/drawing BBC pensions that facilitated/ignored Saville’s abuse.
It’s just too close to home. Too soon. And a big ‘fuck you’ to the many, many victims of the bastard.

Like you said, if ITV/Sky/Netflix made this film it would’ve been dodgy.

The BBC doing it seem to be simultaneously profiteering and distancing themselves from the situation.

It reminds me somehow of my kids laughing/romanticising/declaring the 1990s and it’s fashions as vintage and sooooooo long ago.
To me it’s not. It’s not ‘ancient history’, it’s a part of my life from not that long ago.

The BBC has neither the chronological or the moral distance to embark upon such project.
Cheeky fuckers.

Flowers
SirGawain · 17/10/2021 11:52

The hypocracy and lack of contrition on the part of the BBC is incredible.

Whatinthelord · 17/10/2021 11:55

The only documentary I’d be interested in is one looking into how\why\who allowed him to continue harming children. A properly look into the organisations he used to access children.

Not interested in him in particular.

Guessing as the BBC was so involved they won’t scrutinise their own role too much.

bagstoreturn · 17/10/2021 11:55

Very poor taste…

doglikescheeseontoast · 17/10/2021 11:56

@Porcupineintherough

Some things should not be entertainment. This is one of them.
Absolutely
OhWhyNot · 17/10/2021 11:56

Netflix produced a very good series on the women’s lives of those that had been impacted by Ted Bundy. It was hard to watch the devastation that continued and how even knowing him and being taken in by him had had such an impact.

This is what needs to be done by the BBC they owe something to his victims and their voices being heard their stories is what should be told it won’t take away the pain but at least they can be heard

But no of course that isn’t important what is is a bunch of men deciding what the narrative should be. Ffs

BeaucoupFish · 17/10/2021 12:04

Millions of people are perfectly happy to fund this vile corporation via the ‘licence’ fee, 3.75 BILLION pa
If you feel that strongly then cancel the fee and go legally licence free

Porcupineintherough · 17/10/2021 12:06

But do his victims want their stories told and their voices heard on national tv? That's a genuine question btw, I just cant imagine I would in their position.

OhWhyNot · 17/10/2021 12:10

I don’t know

But the BBC should be inviting them to

But no it’s more important a group of men decide the narrative (usual story)

x2boys · 17/10/2021 12:10

I watched a documentary about JS just last week, it wasn't just the BBC, I mean how the fuck was he allowed to wander around Broadmoor, i think he had keys?
He abused stroke victims at Stoke Mandeville, and he was allowed in a children's home, for "troubled girls"
How the hell was he allowed to get away with it all
I do agree the BBC have a, hell of a, lot to answer for, the whole cover up of his disgusting crimes is just mind blowing.

BeaucoupFish · 17/10/2021 12:12

@x2boys
Stalked Princess Diana as well

x2boys · 17/10/2021 12:14

[quote BeaucoupFish]@x2boys
Stalked Princess Diana as well[/quote]
He was a vile human bei g was it because of all the "charity money" he raised?

OhWhyNot · 17/10/2021 12:14

I agree it wasn’t just the BBC

But the BBC kept his career going this allowed him to use his position of being a national treasure to gain such power

OhGiveUp · 17/10/2021 12:16

You could argue that why make a film or series out of anything which goes against the grain.
Why make a film about a murderer?
Why make a series out of grooming?
Etc.

bubbletrumps · 17/10/2021 12:16

I'm a csa survivor and when the story first came out about this vile specimen, it hit me hard and I became very depressed. It was all over the TV and I was just sick of it. I don't have a TV this time around so perhaps it'll be better. I don't think they should make programmes about the vile specimen though.

longtompot · 17/10/2021 12:18

I watched The Investigation. I wasn't going to as it was a recent crime and felt it was disrespectful to the woman's family and friends. But it was told in such a good way. The murderer wasn't named once. You didn't even see the face of the actor who played him in it. It was all about her and her family and how the detectives solved the case. I wish more real life crime dramas were told this way and not in the current dramatic, sensationalised storytelling way.
Flowers to you @wavingwhilstdrowning

TheQueef · 17/10/2021 12:19

BBC wants to make money so it makes a DRAMA about the scandal.
You'd be forgiven for expecting our public broadcaster not to capitalise on it's own failures, it is morally bankrupt.
A documentary would be inappropriate from the BBC but at least we may discover facts.
A drama serves no purpose other than financial, the BBC created victims and now they are selling them.
(Before anyone bleats JS was the abuser, BBC had abuse complaints from Totp and Jimmy was looking old and creepy presenting Totp so the BBC solution was to create a dedicated kids programme for him)

BeMoreQueer · 17/10/2021 12:20

British bullshit corporation trying to control the narrative

I haven’t paid license fees or engaged with the bbc in my entire adult life but it’s hasn’t made them go away

The most regular reason i argue with my mum is she believed the bbc is gospel… I think she’s right in that they are both lies told to control people and thats where we reach irreconcilable differences.

The fact they think they can pull this off while ex execs who facilitated his abuse live off generous bbc pensions just goes to show how little the institute has changed

x2boys · 17/10/2021 12:22

@OhWhyNot

I agree it wasn’t just the BBC

But the BBC kept his career going this allowed him to use his position of being a national treasure to gain such power

Oh I'm definitely not not defending the BBC, its just the whole cover up from various organisations, that it allowed him to continue to abuse
BeMoreQueer · 17/10/2021 12:22

And yes… giving him a children’s show when there were already allegations wasn’t a bloody accident

HumphreyCobblers · 17/10/2021 12:26

I just think how dare the BBC do this? It is not on. A DRAMA ffs. Totally tone deaf and disrespectful.

toocold54 · 17/10/2021 12:26

The BBC and his friends were at fault too for turning a blind eye so I think they are trying to show ‘look how serious we take it and how sorry we are’.

I get that it can be distressing for the victims but I do think it’s important that things like this aren’t just forgotten about and that any mistakes are highlighted and make sure they don’t happen again.

It also encourages other victims of his or other celebrities to come forward.
Many times one person comes forward and then other people come forward afterwards.

If someone finds it distressing they don’t have to watch it but if someone is going through it now and watching this makes them come forward then I think it is a good thing.

wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 12:28

@toocold54

The BBC and his friends were at fault too for turning a blind eye so I think they are trying to show ‘look how serious we take it and how sorry we are’.

I get that it can be distressing for the victims but I do think it’s important that things like this aren’t just forgotten about and that any mistakes are highlighted and make sure they don’t happen again.

It also encourages other victims of his or other celebrities to come forward.
Many times one person comes forward and then other people come forward afterwards.

If someone finds it distressing they don’t have to watch it but if someone is going through it now and watching this makes them come forward then I think it is a good thing.

That's true but this week I've seen photos of coogan mugging as savile and it's fucking disgusting. It really is. The BBC knew. I told them. Repeatedly. I also told West Yorkshire Police who colluded to silence me.
OP posts:
ChequerBoard · 17/10/2021 12:36

I agree with you OP, this is disrespectful, thoughtless and self-serving of the BBC. To try to turn this into a ratings-winning drama is frankly unbelievable.

Only someone as narcissistic as Steve Coogan would take on that role. Vile, just vile.

I hope no-one watches. I'm not usually in favour of boycotting things but for this I could make an exception.

GemGEmGemster · 17/10/2021 12:36

I have a family member who was murdered. Professor David Wilson did a programme called ‘Britains Most Evil Killers’ or some shit like that, which featured my relatives killer. I wrote to David Wilson and asked him not to use my relatives case as it was so upsetting for us and he had the absolute barefaced fucking cheek to tell reply saying - and this is a direct quote - ‘ I note your concerns about programmes such as this inevitably re-igniting public interest about tragic events and how you and your family have avoided publicity. However, I also shared with you how some victim families will actually contact me wanting publicity – for diverse reasons – and that they will take an opposite view’
ie I should be grateful that he was taking an interest!!
Titillating the masses. Pathetic. There are actual humans behind these crimes and the TV companies couldn’t care less.