SAVILE'S CRIMES
Jimmy Savile victims tell how ‘dirty old man mixed with young people’ & ‘fooled everyone’ in Steve Coogan drama
JIMMY Savile's victims have told how the "dirty old man mixed with young people" and "fooled everyone".
In a four-part drama starring Steve Coogan, which aired on BBC on Monday, the extent of paedo Savile's crimes were revealed after he inflicted years of torture and suffering on his victims.
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The Reckoning traces the life of Savile, who, for decades, became one of the UK’s most influential celebrities, and how he used that status and powerful connections to hide his disgusting behaviour.
And in the opening scenes of the first and second episode, victims of Savile recalled the horror that he caused.
One woman, named Susan, bravely said: "When I heard he died I was actually pleased that that horrible specimen was dead
"But then on the other hand I thought 'he's got away with it'.
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"I don't think at the time it occurred to me that he was an old man in a young environment.
"But subsequent to me having the meeting, or whatever you might want to call it, in my 20s, that's when it became his.. yeah...
"He was a dirty old man trying to mix with young people."
A second woman called Darien said the DJ's death came as good news to her as she told how she would have "danced on his grave".
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She said: "His death was a good riddance.
"But it's also that he got away with something that was appalling.
"I would have danced on his grave.
"I think he was an extremely clever man. There was no talent but I think he was probably one of the biggest manipulators of people to rise to the status that he did."
A male victim named Kevin added: "He fooled everyone. He had adults eating out his hand.
"He had the persona that everyone wanted to be associated with him. He just had that aura about him.
"Everyone loved him. He was the star of the day."
Sam, another victim who also appears in the series, said: "He in his own sick mind thought that if he did enough good it would weigh out the bad."
The Reckoning looks at how Savile was able to hide in plain sight and evade justice - with some describing the series as 'Savile's trial'.
I worry there's some terrible darkness in him. I worry he's committed mortal sins
Actress playing Savile's mum
In scenes which have been reenacted for the purpose of TV, the actress who plays Savile's mum spoke of how he had a "terrible darkness in him".
It is unclear whether the conversation, which took place with a priest at confessional, actually happened.
But it is understood the mother and son did not have a great relationship.
In the episode, the woman playing Savile's mum said: "I don't know if I love my son.
"He came along after my other six children. I didn't want anymore. I think he's always known I felt like that.
"I worry there's some terrible darkness in him. I worry he's committed mortal sins.
"I don't think he tells the truth [at confession].
"I know you should love a child unconditionally but I don't."
In episode 2, which is available to watch on iPlayer, paranoid Savile spoke of his concern about the press writing untrue stories.
His character told a journalist, who was gathering information for a book, that "the more a man like me tries to spread fun and happiness, the more you get nay-sayers who try to stop you".
Savile added: "[They stop you] by making up stories about things that didn't happen.
"'Gentleman meets damsel. They frolic merrily. Everyone goes home happy'.
"There's a story in that. Never happened.
"I stay positive. But in order to protect myself I have to keep an eye out to make sure the nay-sayers don't stop me from doing nice, happy things."
Evil Savile is played by actor Steve Coogan.
Speaking about the role, he told the BBC : "I've played a number of real people and in some ways I didn't treat him any differently.
"I feel an overwhelming sense of revulsion about Jimmy Savile and the way he operated, but I put my personal revulsion to one side to play him convincingly because the risk with not doing that is him coming across as a sort of pantomime villain, which would lack credibility and therefore not do this justice.
"It had to be grounded and believable. In terms of performance, I like to take physical things - the way someone dresses, the way they talk, and the way they move - and assimilate all that to try and find who they are and use that as a way to get inside their skin."
SAVILE'S CRIMES
Savile died on October 29, 2011.
He was found dead at his home in Roundhay, two days before his 85th birthday.
His cause of death was pneumonia and it was ruled not suspicious.
Sickening allegations of sexual assault emerged after Savile's death, and over 300 victims came forward to testify against him.
As well as his access to children through his work on Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It, a June 2014 report found that Savile's fundraising activities at 28 NHS hospitals, including Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor, led to him sexually assaulting staff and patients aged between five and 75 over several decades.
It is thought Savile abused at least 60 children during his visits to the Buckinghamshire hospital, including seriously ill children as young as eight.
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He was never held accountable for his crimes as he died before the allegations came to light.
- The Reckoning starts on BBC1 on Monday at 9pm with the second episode out on Tuesday. The third and fourth episode will be available on the same day next week.
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