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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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.

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Pazuzu · 18/10/2021 10:01

If they're going to name names of the people at the BBC and other places who totally and utterly failed the victims of that evil man then do it.

If it's going to ignore that and somehow try and find an excuse for JS and the enablers, then hell no, don't do it. The enablers are as guilty as JS and deserve their time in the flames just as much as him.

shrugshrug · 18/10/2021 10:31

Like him or loathe him I think Steve Coogan's involvement in the film Philomena, along with the sublime Judi Dench helped shine a light on the scandal that was the Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland, the treatment of the birth mothers and their babies. The refusal of the nuns and the Irish state to give information to those involved.

Perhaps the series will shine the spotlight brighter on the awfulness of Saville and the people who facilitated him ?

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wavingwhilstdrowning · 18/10/2021 10:48

@shrugshrug

Like him or loathe him I think Steve Coogan's involvement in the film Philomena, along with the sublime Judi Dench helped shine a light on the scandal that was the Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland, the treatment of the birth mothers and their babies. The refusal of the nuns and the Irish state to give information to those involved.

Perhaps the series will shine the spotlight brighter on the awfulness of Saville and the people who facilitated him ?

Perhaps. But it seems unlikely. Would the catholic church have made Philomena? If they had would it have shone any light? The point here is that the very organisation that gave JS the platform to abuse, and I believe to be culpable in the abuse, are making this film. The BBC has been attempting to rewrite JS as a 'psychopathic genius', which he was not. This film is most likely to be a propaganda piece, allowing SC to show his 'range' morphing from gurning clown to evil rapist with the close of a door, and the BBC to further manipulate the truth and their role in allow JS to abuse.
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Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/10/2021 11:16

As an institution they enabled him, and have shown little contrition

And that's exactly why I wouldn't trust them with --anything at all- handling something like this appropriately

As PPs have said, JS is hardly a subject for any kind of "entertainment", but the BBC are the very last people to handle it objectively

KittenKong · 18/10/2021 11:17

No they really haven’t learned much. Jumped into bed not with a group that focussed on safeguarding and protection, but stonewall. Feh.

ChequerBoard · 18/10/2021 11:34

@wavingwhilstdrowning I totally agree. I would bet that the narrative of this drama will be something like:

Look, see all these examples of how manipulative and clever JS was at hiding his evil intentions and actions behind his good works. What could the BBC do? We were his victims too, hiding in plain sight, times were different then etc etc...

Whereas if any programme were actually to be made, it should be:

Look, see all these examples of where we the BBC and the others including West Yorkshire Police were told about this and did nothing. Look at all these trusted institutions that are culpable in the abuse of countless victims. What lessons have we learned, how can we prevent this from ever happening again. How can we possible ever be sorry enough for the harm caused to so many people, many of them in incredibly vulnerable situations where they should have been safe.

It should be a proper warts and all documentary outing those that complied and stood by, made by a reputable, impartial organisation or nothing.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/10/2021 11:56

You could argue that why make a film or series out of anything which goes against the grain

I'd suggest that depends on how it's done and who's doing it
A documentary would probably have been better, but would be unlikely to have made the BBC so much £££££, and and as so many have said the involvement of the BBC is just as filthy as their choices at the time

TonyThreePies · 18/10/2021 12:08

I take it the film is already in production as they have named who is in it? I'm just wondering if it's worth setting up a petition to try to get the making of it stopped. Probably not. This thread has made me beyond angry and absolutely dismayed. There is so much wrong here but for some reason - men dressing up as JS for a stag do? What the hell is wrong with them?
I'm so sorry for anyone who has been traumatised by these fucking men. Me too. By someone who knew JS.

DoYouLikeOwls · 18/10/2021 12:09

The Alan Partridge star said the decision to portray Savile on screen was not one he “took lightly” but the series had “an intelligent script tackling sensitively an horrific story which – however harrowing – needs to be told”.

Hopefully this is the case.

Like I said before I am a fan of Steve Coogan but I was a bit shocked about them making it.

Laiste · 18/10/2021 12:18

Here's a link showing Coogan Dressed as JS. It's in the making apparently.

I really really don't think the BBC will make a drama damning the BBC. It's track record for self reflection isn't particularly strong.

I used to like SC. Feel a bit sick at these pics of him dressed up as JS.

BeaucoupFish · 18/10/2021 12:43

@wavingwhilstdrowning
@ChequerBoard

spot on, people will fall for it as well.

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wavingwhilstdrowning · 18/10/2021 20:48

In West Yorks the photos have been updated daily in various papers. Huge public interest and outrage.

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Floogal · 18/10/2021 21:16

@shrugshrug

Like him or loathe him I think Steve Coogan's involvement in the film Philomena, along with the sublime Judi Dench helped shine a light on the scandal that was the Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland, the treatment of the birth mothers and their babies. The refusal of the nuns and the Irish state to give information to those involved.

Perhaps the series will shine the spotlight brighter on the awfulness of Saville and the people who facilitated him ?

@shrugshrug I haven't seen Philomena or the one about Steven Lawrence. But he was good in the Christopher Jeffery miniseries. Also how portrayal of Tony Wilson in 24 hour Party People. Though primarily comedic, he portrayed more harrowing parts of the film sensetively
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wavingwhilstdrowning · 18/10/2021 22:51

Tony Wilson's friends and family hated Coogans take on him, and he refused to donate to Tony's Fundraising attempts for a last ditch cancer treatment. 24 hr party people didn't uncover anything at all, it was a simplistic and comedic take on a brutal time in Manchesters gang land history and the Hacienda and Factory's ties to it. Recent documentaries have revealed the extent of criminal activity. Once again Coogan took a serious subject and glossed over the truly important parts to create a glossy sellable product. Alan Erasmus was furious about the film, but had no say in the script and editing of his own role.

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OhWhyNot · 18/10/2021 23:04

Philomena is told form her perspective it was her story told. The Catholic Church were not involved in the writing of the story. The Police were not involved in writing of the Steven Lawrence series

Who cares is Steve Coogan is going to play JS with sensitivity he is hardly going to claim anything else is he. I’m astounded that someone who is so outspoken and highly critical of people being silenced (Leveson enquiry) would consider this a good idea. But what a role for an actor Hmm

What a drama of a story you couldn’t make up it shocked us all. No one will be bought down with this drama, no one will be named, the BBC will probably add a little few lines at the end saying how they have learnt from mistakes and all involved will continue to pat themselves on the back for the sensitivity they showed.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/10/2021 23:05

In West Yorks the photos have been updated daily in various papers. Huge public interest and outrage

Yes, and won't that suit the BBC just fine ... more attention equals higher viewing figures, so they're probably thrilled

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wavingwhilstdrowning · 19/10/2021 09:33

@Puzzledandpissedoff

In West Yorks the photos have been updated daily in various papers. Huge public interest and outrage

Yes, and won't that suit the BBC just fine ... more attention equals higher viewing figures, so they're probably thrilled

My thoughts exactly.
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Soggychip · 19/10/2021 12:32

The BBC are disgusting. Not only the lack of contrition and accountability after his crimes were revealed but knowing at the time he was an abuser and putting greed and their own reputation first rather than do anything to stop him. Making a drama production is so bloody distasteful and insulting and damaging to his many victims .

I watched the ITV documentary about him on itv hub yesterday and it was unbelieve how calculated and clever he was in making sure he was untouchable by working his way into the upper echelons of society. He was psychopathic and as evil and so many people found him so sinister yet we’re never able/willing to investigate him properly while he was alive. I no longer pay my license fee and their enabling of Saville is the main reason. Martin Bashir and his Diana interview is another and their sermonising around sex/gender identity is another.

shrugshrug · 19/10/2021 13:31

Good points in reply to my posts @wavingwhilstdrowning.

Floogal · 19/10/2021 19:16

Tony Wilson's friends and family hated Coogans take on him, and he refused to donate to Tony's Fundraising attempts for a last ditch cancer treatment.

@wavingwhilstdrowning never knew that! Pretty low

OrangeJuiceAndNoodles · 19/10/2021 19:51

I think with Savile, at best, extremely powerful people turned a blind eye to his activities. At worst, they were involved.

I can't imagine the BBC will cover that in the drama. It'll be a clean up activity for them, making out he was a lone wolf that nobody knew about.

And they can shove that up their arse.

Saucery · 20/10/2021 09:24

They’ll make it all stylish and Life On Mars-y and paint the 70s and 80s as “a different time”. Well, it wasn’t. People knew what he was doing was wrong then, just as they do now. There were just more senior BBC execs willing to turn a blind eye.

Glitterybug · 20/10/2021 09:30

Bit of a kick in the teeth for the bbc to make it when they're the ones who sheltered him for decades and enabled him to abuse so many, isn't it?

Unless the film is about how the bbc utterly utterly failed.

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wavingwhilstdrowning · 20/10/2021 11:02

@Saucery

They’ll make it all stylish and Life On Mars-y and paint the 70s and 80s as “a different time”. Well, it wasn’t. People knew what he was doing was wrong then, just as they do now. There were just more senior BBC execs willing to turn a blind eye.
I am constantly having this converstion "He was terrible, but the BBC had no idea, and it was a different time" "The BBC did know" "No they didn't" "Well they did, I told them 3 times in writing" glances around, looks at feet, conversation ends There just seems to be an inability to accept that they behaved in a way that not only allowed him to abuse but actually gave him the platform to do it.
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