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Jimmy Savile - A British Horror Show

94 replies

NotAGirl · 07/04/2022 00:15

So much that could, should, must be said about this documentary

Something that really struck me was how people who ignored what was in front of them were happy to be interviewed and still didn’t take any responsibility for not saying anything and how heartbreaking it was to see one of the victims even knowing how protected he was blame herself for not saying anything when she was a frightened child.

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EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 07/04/2022 00:22

I saw a comment about how jaw dropping it was to see the infamous trio of Jimmy Savile, Frank Bough, and David Icke all in the same morning show.

LittleWhingingWoman · 07/04/2022 02:38

And yet here we are again.

Cheekymaw · 07/04/2022 02:41

Absolutely. No lessons have been learned . In plain sight and so it continues....

TheCurrywurstPrion · 07/04/2022 05:12

I watched part one last night. It reminded me of how normalised creepy male behaviour was back then. Predatory “flirting” in plain sight on mainstream TV,, bearing in mind his carefully crafted persona as someone who made children’s dreams come true.

I was amazed however, by his fundraising efforts, which were equally astonishing. I had forgotten his sheer energy. His comments about having absolute freedom were utterly chilling, given what we now know.

But as someone who grew up watching him, it strikes me that he didn’t just get away with all the private stuff. The stuff he was doing in front of the cameras was also horrendously damaging. I was very naive and raised by parents who generally protected me from all sorts of unpleasantness, yet there he was, on peak time TV. His behaviour undoubtedly would have influenced how I viewed what was acceptable behaviour from men. Watching now was grim.

saggyhairyass · 07/04/2022 07:24

I have only watched the first part so far. I grew up watching Savile on the telly and he was huge, if a bit odd.

When Louis Theroux made his documentary on Savile I was an adult by then, and thought he was very creepy.

I think that how Savile groomed everyone and everything to suit himself is still evident in cases such as Weinstein, Epstein and Spacey. I have my suspicions about many other people in the public eye too. They are protected by the people they know and the industries they work in. This is not the last of it.

LemonDrizzles · 07/04/2022 07:55

He reminds me more of Michael Jackson.

His flirting with the morning tv show host... Is that what was acceptable at the time? Were others doing the same?

Cheekymaw · 07/04/2022 08:08

I just think are we supposed to buy the fact that this monster had close friendships with senior members of the British government, Royal Family and other institutions such as our NHS and the Security Services were not aware of what he was up to ?? Come on ! Makes me sick that these girls ( and it was mainly girls) were disregarded and exposed in this way. I don't buy all those folk saying they didn't know

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NotAGirl · 07/04/2022 08:22

But as someone who grew up watching him, it strikes me he didn’t just get away with all the private stuff. The stuff he was doing in front of the cameras was also horrendously damaging.

Agreed why did so many adults accept it? My father loathed him (didn’t know him just felt there was something deeply creepy about him) so the tv went off if my father saw he was on, I sometimes saw him on TOTP but not much else. I didn’t realise Saville was quite so ubiquitous and in with the establishment until I watched this.

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Monitaurus · 07/04/2022 08:37

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Deliriumoftheendless · 07/04/2022 08:38

I really felt for Selina Scott, with his grotesque behaviour and Bough just smiling away.

I remember when it all came out there were people saying “oh we all knew what Jimmy was like...” yet you all kept quiet.

(I played the Jerry Sadowitz Savile sketch to a friend the other day- he was shocked that no one else was saying anything).

We will continue to see predators like this. Bottom line is there’s not enough concern for abused children from those in power. (I wonder why not? Hmmm)

AnastasiaRomanov · 07/04/2022 08:43

What is the documentary?

SirVixofVixHall · 07/04/2022 08:48

@NotAGirl

But as someone who grew up watching him, it strikes me he didn’t just get away with all the private stuff. The stuff he was doing in front of the cameras was also horrendously damaging.

Agreed why did so many adults accept it? My father loathed him (didn’t know him just felt there was something deeply creepy about him) so the tv went off if my father saw he was on, I sometimes saw him on TOTP but not much else. I didn’t realise Saville was quite so ubiquitous and in with the establishment until I watched this.

Yes my Dad too. He would say “there is something off about that man”. I found him repulsive, but as a girl I still watched every week , the dreams come true thing is so seductive when you are young.
hypaingea · 07/04/2022 08:52

I was born in the 80s & really wanted to go on his show. I do remember watching TOTPs when I was a bit older & thought it odd he was hanging off young girls & leering but I assumed it was acceptable because it was on TV if that makes sense.

SamphirethePogoingStickerist · 07/04/2022 08:52

Should we watch it? We saw it on Netflix last night and we both physically recoiled.

I was part of a drama group that a parent wrote in for. When the woman who ran the group found out she banned us from going, should we have been accepted. I don't remember being disappointed.

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NotAGirl · 07/04/2022 08:58

@AnastasiaRomanov

What is the documentary?
‘Jimmy Savile - A British Horror Show’ just released on Netflix
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EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 07/04/2022 09:01

@AnastasiaRomanov

What is the documentary?
Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/apr/06/jimmy-savile-a-british-horror-story-review-a-welter-of-devastating-detail

LauriePartridge4Eva · 07/04/2022 10:50

I watched him as a kid back in the eighties and didn't think anything of him. I had no idea that child sexual abuse by adults even existed. I thought he was an eccentric as quite a few people on TV were back then...it is easy with hindsight and living in today's society and culture to look back and think the signs were obvious.

Pythian · 07/04/2022 11:15

I was struck by memories of how little awareness kids in the 80s (of which I was one) had of the possibility of sexual abuse by people we knew. It was all about stranger danger back then - and I only had the vaguest idea about what it was I was actually being warned about. I didn't really understand what molestation was or what I was supposed to do if it happened. And you were constantly being told to ignore your boundaries and let family members and friends of your parents touch you when you didn't really want them to. Even if it was just "give Uncle Dave a kiss" or "go and sit on Granddad's knee" you didn't feel like you were allowed to say no. It came as no surprise to me that Savile got away with it for so long, because that was the culture back then - you were made to feel like you were being "silly" or unkind if you didn't want to cuddle eccentric Uncle Jimmy, who was a bit creepy but it wasn't nice to say so.

Chipchocmint · 07/04/2022 12:30

Savile got away with it for so long, because that was the culture back then - you were made to feel like you were being "silly" or unkind if you didn't want to cuddle eccentric Uncle Jimmy, who was a bit creepy but it wasn't nice to say so.

So true and we were encouraged to be kind, does this ring any bells?

MichaelAndEagle · 07/04/2022 12:35

@Pythian

I was struck by memories of how little awareness kids in the 80s (of which I was one) had of the possibility of sexual abuse by people we knew. It was all about stranger danger back then - and I only had the vaguest idea about what it was I was actually being warned about. I didn't really understand what molestation was or what I was supposed to do if it happened. And you were constantly being told to ignore your boundaries and let family members and friends of your parents touch you when you didn't really want them to. Even if it was just "give Uncle Dave a kiss" or "go and sit on Granddad's knee" you didn't feel like you were allowed to say no. It came as no surprise to me that Savile got away with it for so long, because that was the culture back then - you were made to feel like you were being "silly" or unkind if you didn't want to cuddle eccentric Uncle Jimmy, who was a bit creepy but it wasn't nice to say so.
Agree with everything you've said. I had a vague notion that I might be kidnapped and taken away from my mum and dad, didn't know anything about sexual abuse at all.
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 07/04/2022 12:37

@EmbarrassingHadrosaurus

I saw a comment about how jaw dropping it was to see the infamous trio of Jimmy Savile, Frank Bough, and David Icke all in the same morning show.
Also Gary Glitter and Savile on Jim'll Fix It.
Bananalanacake · 07/04/2022 12:38

Is this different to the thing that Steve Coogan is portraying him in?

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NotAGirl · 07/04/2022 13:08

@Bananalanacake

Is this different to the thing that Steve Coogan is portraying him in?
Yes this was a documentary using footage from the time and interviews with people who knew him. Looked at some of the correspondence between him and Prince Charles
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MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 07/04/2022 13:11

I watched it yesterday with 20 years old ds. I think his jaw was on the floor the entire time. He kept saying he couldn't believe people laughed at his disgusting 'jokes' and where was the safeguarding ...had to explain it was the 70s/80s and we didn't have it back then! When you watch the footage he is telling us who and what he is, plainly!!

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NotAGirl · 07/04/2022 13:15

It’s interesting that there were quite a few ordinary people who saw through and said something but were ignored also a small number of famous people like John Lyndon who were effectively cancelled as a result.

I thought he was a weirdo and a bit embarrassing with his hair and clothes but too young to pick up anything else, I was a bit annoyed that we couldn’t watch the same tv programmes as the others in school so couldn’t be part of those conversations

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