Jimmy Savile Page 4

After initial allegations during the first stage of Operation Yewtree in March, Rolf Harris has reportedly been arrested again this week. According to the BBC, the exact allegations haven’t been announced as of yet, with the Metropolitan Police stating only that an 83-year-old had been "further arrested in connection with further allegations", and re-bailed until later in August.

The musician and TV personality has been arrested for the second time.

Harris has not been named directly in connection to Operation Yewtree, with the Met Police referring to Yewtree 5 instead. It is unclear whether Harris’ arrest had anything to do with the Saville investigation directly, as Operation Yewtree, which was started after the presenter’s death in 2011, has three branches. One deals directly with accusations against Saville himself, which have surfaced since 2011, the second handles connections of other people to the Saville case and the third is focused on claims of sexual harassment and abuse, completely separate from the Saville case.

Continue reading: Rolf Harris Once Again Under Arrest In Connection To Operation Yewtree

When the news of former television presenter Jimmy Savile's sordid past was brought to light last year the world shrieked in horror at the appalling allegations brought forward against the once beloved philanthropist and TV personality. The company who hired Savile for the majority of his career, the tax-payer-funded BBC, have released information into their own enquiries into the allegations, revealing that they spent over £5 million in tax-payer's money on their own investigations, a sum that some have questioned for being irresponsible spending.

The corporation spent £2.8m on the Newsnight investigation that looked to shed light on Savile's deprived lifewhen the allegations first surfaced, eventually shelving their investigation and never airing their finding on the late-night news show. The BBC went on to spend an extra £2.5m on further investigations, bringing the total to £5.3m. With the shelved Pollard investigation costing upwards of £80,000, £185,000 in damages being paid after false child abuse allegations were made against Lord McAlpine and some eye-watering six-figure sums being handed out to senior BBC officials throughout the investigation - figures that may be displeasing to some - the BBC has been forced to re-evaluate it's spending.

With the publication of the spending now available to the public, BBC director general Tony Hall has since pledged to bring an end to the bureaucratic and regulatory practices used at the corporation, saying these unnecessary expenses are "inhibiting its [the BBC's] creativity". Hall also pledged to take personal charge of a new review that will aim to "simplify our organisation" following the failed Pollard review into the case, highlighting a need for cultural change at the corporation to prevent further mis-spending. Hall did not mention how much this review would cost the tax payer.

Continue reading: The Jimmy Savile Child Abuse Enquiry: £5 Million Well Spent By The BBC?

Rolf Harris has been arrested by police officers working on Operation Yewtree on suspicion of sex offences. The much-loved 83-year-old TV star and singer was held over historic sex abuse allegations by the police unit set up following the Jimmy Savile scandal. Senior detectives have been investigating Harris for more than four months.

According to The Sun newspaper, officers raided his Berkshire home on November 24 last year, though he was not at home. He was interviewed under caution on November 29 after attending a South London police premises by appointment. Harris continued to perform several concerts following the interview, though was eventually arrested on March 28, two days before his 83rd birthday. 

Scotland Yard said: "An 82-year-old man from Berkshire was arrested by officers on Operation Yewtree on suspicion of sexual offences.He has been bailed to a date in May pending further enquiries. The individual falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed 'others'." Police have refused to give any details of the allegations, though Harris vehemently denies any wrongdoing. Over a million people tuned in on Wednesday night to watch Rolf's Animal Clinic on Channel 5. 

Continue reading: Rolf Harris Arrested On Suspicion Of Sex Offences After Long Investigation

Pollard report into the BBC's Savile inquiry show Jeremy Paxman to be hugely critical of the way The BBC treated its then Newsnight editor Peter Rippon. In a set of transcripts, Paxman said he had a "suspicion" Mr Rippon was told he couldn't run the story by someone else within the organisation.

In a fascinating insight, Paxman said it was "very unfair, and frankly not at all untypical, that the BBC has dumped all this on one individual [Rippon]. I think the BBC's behaviour now is almost as contemptible was it was then." Rippon wrote a blog back in early October, in which he gave his reasons for dropping the programme. It was later described as "inaccurate or incomplete in some respects" by the BBC. "He [Rippon] ws being used as the fall guy ... I profoundly disagree with the BBC's refusal to engage with it and to justify or attempt to justify its position,” said Paxman.

Sky news' Nick Pollard compiled the full report, which itself comprises 3,000 pages of emails, interviews and submissions from BBC executives and journalists. The Pollard Review, which concluded in December, surmised that the decision by the BBC's flagship current affairs programme to shelve its probe into sexual abuse claims against the television star was "seriously flawed".

By 1990 Jimmy Savile had been made a knight in his lifetime, as well as given the Roman Catholic's highest honor, the Knight Commander of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great. 22 years later and the man who claimed to 'fix it' for so many children, it turns out, spend 54 years abusing the young and the vulnerable. The report has finally been completed and revealed. 

Savile died in 2011, but as the BBC reports, there was a missed opportunity in 2009 to arrest and prosecute Savile, that was missed. He was interviewed under caution in '09 in relation to three allegations. However, Savile threatened to sue the police. Ms Levitt QC said "had the police and prosecutors taken a different approach" a prosecution could have been possible.

Debbie Curtis, a victim of Savile who has been interviewed by the Telegraph already feels "let down by the way [the case has] been handled." She claims that various institutions "turned the proverbial blind eye"  and that "no one's really answered any questions, except that they agree that he's a criminal, a paedophile." While she claims it has been "a shoddy state of affairs", she concedes that the saving grace of the whole ordeal is that "It's meant that this will be unable to happen in the future... [Firstly] hopefully more victims will speak out, and secondly the CPS and the police will act on things the moment they get a complaint... whether it's a celebrity or not"

The comedian Jim Davidson has been forced to pull out of Celebrity Big Brother after he was arrested at Heathrow airport in connection with the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal. The entertainer was due to appear on the Channel 5 reality series - which begins tonight (January 3, 2012) - though took the decision to pull out after he was questioned by detectives.

Plain clothes officers searched his £900,000 Georgian home in the Hampshire village of Stockbridge and were seen leaving with plastic evidence bags and brown envelopes. In a statement, the former host of Big Break and The Generation Game said he "vigorously denies" the allegations, which reportedly date back around 25 years. On his blog in October, Davidson wrote, "The Savile witch hunt is going a bit silly now. We all are starting to speculate and accuse ... even in jest. So no, I don't know who's next. Everyone has had the nod. Everyone is an expert. Just pick someone you don't like and say it's them. As odd as he was, Savile can't defend himself. The bloke's dead for God's sake. Let's move on." Other high profile names arrested as part of the investigation into sexual abuse include comedian Freddie Starr, Gary Glitter and Max Clifford. They all strenuously deny the allegations levelled against them. 

David's solicitor Henri Brandman said "Two women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back approximately 25 years. The complainants were then in their mid-twenties. Jim vigorously denies the allegations."

Continue reading: Police Clutch Evidence Bags After Searching Jim Davidson's Home

As the scandal surrounding child abuse within television institutions continues to unravel in the U.K - brought about by sudden and rife accusations of Jimmy Savile's involvement after his death - Jim Davidson has been arrested as part of operation Yewtree.

The comedian and former gameshow host, according to The Guardian, was arrested as part of the Metropolitan police investigation into alleged sexual offences carried out by Jimmy Savile and others. "Two women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back approximately 25 years. The complainants were then in their mid 20s," read a statement from his solicitor, Henri Brandman. "Jim vigorously denies the allegations. He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time," Brandman continues. "He has not been charged with any offence. Neither he nor I will be making any further comment."

Police also arrested a 53-year old man in Hampshire, which takes the total number of people arrested under Operation Yewtree to nine. The Met police said that the latest two arrests fall under the "others" strand of the investigation, which means that the alleged offences are not connected to Savile. "Our officers will continue to investigate allegations made against those who potentially can be brought to justice. More arrests nationally will be forthcoming," said Commander Peter Spindler in December, revealing the extent of the enquiry. 

As a part of the Jimmy Savile investigation 'Operation Yewtree', Jim Davidson has been the latest to be arrested.

As the Independent reports, the comedian was arrested at his home in Hampshire after plain clothed policeman went inside and drew the curtains on the ground floor. Later police cars showed up to take him away. Neither Davidson's agent, his solicitor, nor Scotland Yard would confirm that the 59 year old arrested today was Davidson. 

He had commented on the investigation before asking for it all to be wrapped up. "Everyone is now an expert. Just pick someone you don't like and say it's them. So I'll be the first one to knock it on the head and belt up. How's about that then?" he wrote on his blog.

Continue reading: Jim Davidson Latest Shock Arrest In Jimmy Savile Operation Yewtree Investigation

There have been two further arrests in the Scotland Yard’s Yewtree Operation – the sex offence investigation set up as a result of the Jimmy Savile sex scandal. BBC News report that a 53 year old and a 59 year old have been arrested, according to the Metropolitan Police. Officers from Operation Yewtree arrested the 53 year old at 08:00 GMT at an address in Hampshire and the 59 year old was arrested at 12:00 GMT in West London. Both suspects were taken to custody local police stations.

According to police, the arrests were not connected to the allegations made against Jimmy Savile in any way, though it is currently unknown whether or not the men are public figures or not. The Operation Yewtree investigation has been formed with three strands. One is to investigate the claims made against Sir Jimmy Savile. Another is to look at allegations made against Savile and other people as well and a third is to investigate claims made against other people. The two men arrested today are the ninth and tenth to have been arrested as part of operation Yewtree.

Jimmy Savile died aged 84, in 2011. Last year, ITV broadcast a documentary which unveiled allegations of his sexual abuse of underage children. Since the documentary aired, many other similar allegations have also ben made against him. The police have stated that 450 victims have come forward to make allegations about Savile, alone.

Paul Daniels has caused controversy with a blog suggesting that not all of Jimmy Savile's 450 alleged victims are telling the truth.

We've all had our opinions on the case of the late Jimmy Savile and the numerous child abuse claims that have come through, almost forty years since the events took place. However, the appropriate reaction has been to condemn the man and have sympathy for every one of his 450 victims. Magician Paul Daniels has gone against the grain and published a painfully honest account of his feelings on the allegations and what life was like in the seventies. He mentioned that, while he understood that many of his victims would've kept schtum, he finds that for over 400 of them to have done 'strange'. The Telegraph reported the blog to say, "A bad guy? Undoubtedly, but I have been wondering if all the accusers are for real", he mused on the blog. He said that he isn't even sure if all the girls that chased him at the height of his career were all legal. "Were they all over 16? OMG, I hope so. Can I remember them? No." he said. "Life back then was a blur, and therein lies a major problem with what is going on now. It was 35-40 years ago. How the hell can you say you did or you didn't?"

He has been accused of 'belittling' some of the victims' cases and 'casting doubt' on their evidence by Kidscape. "He should be supporting these people", said former child protection officer Mark Williams Thomas. "The bottom line is they are children who have been abused by adults, it doesn't matter how long ago it was." The blog has since been taken down.

Paul Daniels has been "wondering if all of [Savile's] accusers are for real". And his claims have, inevitably, come under intense scrutiny from groups concerned with the people affected by the sex abuse scandal, The Telegraph reports. 

"I can fully understand some women not wanting to talk about what happened to them, but for over 400 of them to keep quiet for 40 years seems strange," explained Daniels. "What I do find odd about the stories now emerging however is when a "victim" went on TV and stated that she had gone back to the dressing room quite a few times. A bad guy? Undoubtedly, but I have been wondering if all the accusers are for real." Claude Knight, director of Kidscape, said of the magicians comments: "It is belittling and casting doubt on them, it is the last thing you need when you have found the courage to talk about it. I am worried about people trivialising something so serious."

Mark Williams Thomas - a former child protection officer - who was also involved in an ITV documentary which exposed Savile as a paedophile, said: "For someone like Paul Daniels to come out and belittle victim's evidence that's being given against Jimmy Savile is a disgrace because he [Savile] is proven to be an offender.

Continue reading: Paul Daniels Questions Jimmy Savile Victims, Accused Of Belittlement

The BBC's handling of the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal, which included the mismanagement of a Newsnight expose, has been summed up in a report; a report that labels the BBC as "completely incapable" and "chaotic", The Guardian reports.

"This report shows that the level of chaos and confusion was even greater than was apparent at the time. The efforts to get to the truth behind the Savile story proved beyond the combined efforts of the senior management, legal department, corporate communications team and anyone else for well over a month," Nick Pollard, the former head of Sky News, said in a 185-page report. "Leadership and organisation seemed to be in short supply," he continued, adding at a press conference following the report's publication: "There was an element of personal difficulty between the key personalities as well, that's quite shocking in a way. Newsrooms can only operate on the basis of trust and mutual confidence and discussion. A lot of that was missing." One senior BBC executive resigned and another three were moved from their jobs following the publication report, in which he described the scandal as "one of the worst management crises in the BBC's history".

Lord Patten - the chairman of the BBC Trust - said he welcomed the report's findings that there was no cover-up of the Newsnight report, saying it was an allegation that went "right to the heart of the BBC's reputation and integrity". He added that the whole affair suffered a "lack of professional camaraderie and a lack of collegiate behaviour which I find pretty surprising".

Sacha Baron Cohen was one of the stars at last night’s British Comedy Awards, winning the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Back in 1999, he won the Best Male Comedy Newcomer award at the very same awards event. In those 13 years, he has made himself not just a household name in Britain, but a global star as well, with movies such as Borat and The Dictator.

In the UK of course, he made his name as Ali G and he was dressed as the iconic character when he collected his accolade, joking about his gold tracksuit: “lot has changed in ten years, times are tough. I've even had to start getting my tracksuits from second hand clothes shops.” He then turned round to reveal the word ‘Savile’ on the back, in reference to the disgraced former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile.

Continue reading: Triumphant Return To British Comedy Awards For Sacha Baron Cohen

Since the shocking revelation of Jimmy Savile's sordid lifestyle abusing young people, throughout his entire career, there have been hundreds of accusations against him as well as many other celebrities for similar crimes. A senior police officer has revealed that there have been 31 rape charges made against Savile and almost 200 crimes that span the country, reports the Guardian.

Commander Peter Spindler has revealed that 450 people have made allegations against Savile, with a further 139 against other celebrities. "Our officers will continue to investigate allegations made against those who potentially can be brought to justice. More arrests nationally will be forthcoming," he said. "Our response should send a clear warning to anyone today now in a position of power and influence who abuse their status to sexually exploit children and young people: victims will be listened to and robust action taken." He also warned that there will be more arrests to come.

82% of the victims were women, and 80% of those who came forward claimed that the incidents occurred while they were children or adolescents. Arrests have already included Gary Glitter, Freddie Starr, Dave Lee Travis, Wilfred De'Ath and most recently Max Clifford.  

Continue reading: Jimmy Savile Investigation Update: More Arrests On The Way In Operation Yewtree

The rape claims against the late Jimmy Savile total up to 31, police have reported. According to the statement made by Scotland Yard officials, so far 589 people have come forward with information and a total of 450 complaints have been made, mainly citing sexual abuse. Of the alleged victims, 82% were women and 80% were children or young people at the time of the reported incidents. The investigation has been going on for 10 weeks and new information keeps coming in. Savile is currently a suspect on 31 rape counts in 7 police force areas, AFP reports.

All of the accusations against Savile span 17 force areas in total. The avalanche is dragging in more and more people, with Operation Yewtree having resulted in the detainment of seven suspects and aiding in the arrest of three more nationwide. “More arrests will be forthcoming,” a representative of Scotland Yard stated. The former pop star Gary Glitter is among those arrested and has later been released on bail.

The Operation Yewtree investigation is focused in three main areas: claims against Savile himself, claims against Savile and others, as well as claims solely against other people. Scotland Yard is preparing to release a report on the entire operation sometime in 2013. The reputation of the BBC has also been brought into question, as they were Savile's employer for the length of time that the former TV personality's alleged offences took place.

Another arrest has been made in relation to Operation Yewtree; the widespread police investigation into alleged sexual offences, sparked by the revelations regarding Jimmy Savile’s alleged former crimes against underage girls throughout his career at the BBC. According to BBC News, a man in his 60s was arrested at 6:45am (December 10, 2012) on suspicion of sexual offences and taken to a South London police station. He has been bailed until next month.

The man arrested today is the seventh to have been questioned as part of the operation and is the sixth to have been arrested. Some of those men have been high profile public figures, such as the DJ Dave Lee Travis, the comedian Freddie Starr, the PR consultant Max Clifford and the former TV presenter Wilfred De’Ath. They have all denied any wrongdoing. The musician Gary Glitter was also arrested but has not yet made a statement.

Operation Yewtree is divided into three strands: offences related to Jimmy Savile, offences related to Jimmy Savile and others and offences unrelated to Savile. Today's arrest, according to Scotland Yard, was “not connected to the allegations made against the late BBC presenter.” The identity of the man arrested today has not been revealed by Scotland Yard.

Max Clifford was arrested this morning at 7:40am in relation to the Jimmy Saville investigation, named Operation Yewtree, reports the Independent. Clifford has been at the centre of celebrity media controversy for years, it is in fact, what brought him fame in the first place. He has been vocal about the manipulation of the media to the advantage of his clients and their publicity. 

He has already claimed to be at the centre of the Jimmy Savile saga, saying that many celebs had come to him to "keep him in the picture." At the time he said, "It is a situation which could easily turn into a witch hunt, a lot of big stars are frightened.. Where is it going to end?" And in response to whether he was "compromising himself" by working alongside people that may have been involved in sex with underage people, he said: "It's very simple - I am very close friends with a lot of these people and have been for 40 to 50 years. They know I'm in the middle of the media world, so I'm the first person that they turn to, not just on this subject but lots of subjects."

While many people remain surprised by the amount of high public figures that have been named and shamed in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal, it seems to have opened the floodgates for justice, reflected in the mass outpouring of confessions from victims of sexual assault spanning 50 years or more, who finally recognise that being the actions of those men against their will was wrong. With protests against slut shaming as well as the outrage against the shooting of Malala Yousufzai after she spoke in favour of education for women, it appears that women's rights, bodily, sexually and intellectually, are further on the way to being given the appropriate recognition and respect that they deserve.

Continue reading: Jimmy Savile Operation Yewtree Arrest Number 5: Max Clifford

Max Clifford has become the latest public figure to have been arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, the police investigation into the Jimmy Savile sex scandal. BBC News have reported that Scotland Yard confirmed that officers had arrested a man in his 60s “on suspicion of sexual offences” and had taken him to a central police station. He is the sixth person to be arrested as part of Operation Yewtree.

The investigation, launched by the Metropolitan Police, has been divided into three main strands. Firstly, police are looking into allegations of historic sex offences made against Jimmy Savile. Secondly, allegations against Savile and other people. Thirdly, they are looking into sex offences made against other people, unconnected to the investigations into Jimmy Savile. Scotland Yard confirmed that the man arrested today (December 6, 2012) was arrested under the latter stream of investigations. Clifford was reportedly arrested at his home in Surrey at 7:40am, in relation to historic sex offences and was taken to a London police station.

Clifford is considered to be one of the most influential people working in the British media and is often referred to as a ‘PR guru.’ Five people have now been arrested as part of Operation Yewtree and a sixth has been questioned. The response to the news has quickly seen both “Operation Yewtree” and “Max Clifford” become trending topics on Twitter. The blogger Guido Fawkes referred back to a Sky News interview when Clifford said that in the 1960s, people “never asked anybody for a birth certificate,” when it came to sexual relations. 

Continue reading: Arrested: Max Clifford Investigated Over Historic Sex Offences - Did He Implicate Himself?

Danny Baker has lashed out at the BBC for cancelling his radio show The Treehouse. Baker, who uses the Twitter handle @prodnose posted a message on the micro-blogging site earlier today, to say “So. Just been told the BBC London Show - the Treehouse - is to be shut down after all. Saves BBC money apparently.” As if Baker doesn’t already feel betrayed enough by the BBC, he revealed a saddening twist in the tale, in his next post: “Also. I am being "inducted" into The Radio Hall Of Fame next week. Big honour. BBC salutes by cutting five sixths of my shows. ‪#IronyNotLost.”

Just when the BBC is in a whole heap of trouble, with the Jimmy Savile scandal (not that we’re comparing the two, now…), it looks as though the organisation may have a Danny Baker-related scandal on its hands now, as Baker’s fellow entertainers have also taken to Twitter to criticize the BBC for axing the show. Rob Brydon, sarcastically, wrote “Glad that BBC are axing @prodnose Danny Baker's daily radio show. I've had it up to here with his wit, warmth and originality.” And the comedian Ross Noble couldn’t help but chip in and make reference to the BBC’s recent scandal, saying “How can the BBC axe our greatest radio talent @prodnose show. after recent events they should be celebrating what they do well.”

The Treehouse is Danny Baker’s show on London 94.9. They had asked Baker not to mention the axing but he refused to comply with their request, tweeting “BBC asked me not to say anything just yet about axing best show on British Radio. Why? Because it's embarrassing? Because they'll look bad?” Gabby Logan called for Twitter users to cause an uprising, much like the campaign that saved the once-threatened 6Music, saying “We saved 6music now we must save @prodnose - who is in charge? I nominate you @EmmaK67 ?”

The Jimmy Savile scandal has already officially claimed its first victim in the arrest of Gary Glitter last Sunday (28th Oct. 2012), however there are undoubtedly many more people waiting uncomfortably for their fated call. It isn't only perpetrators of the abuse that should expect to be reprimanded, but also those deemed responsible for letting the entire operation slide as it went on for half a decade, potentially.

Joe Nocera questioned the appointment of Mark Thompson - ex-Director General of the BBC - as the new Chief Executive at Nocera's own stomping ground, The New York Times. He said the chairman of the corporation, Arthur Sulzberg, is in a tight spot and must ask some serious questions. Plus, further speculation surrounding Thompson has emerged today as the ignorance he has claimed comes under attack. The Daily Mail reports that "Mark Thompson's office was notified at least twice - once by a journalist and once again by ITV", although a spokesman for Thompson denies the claims. 

The BBC itself will also suffer enormously from this massive breach of trust. The Telegraph reports that there has been a huge drop in public trust for the national company. They say that only 45% of people now feel that they trust the BBC, dropping from the 62% of a similar survery in 2009. 

Continue reading: Victims By Proxy | How The Savile Scandal Is Affecting More And More People

Gary Glitter has returned home on bail after being the first person to be arrested in the Jimmy Savile sex abuse inquiry. The 1970s glam rocker, who has served time for child sex crimes, was detained at his London home on suspicion of unspecified "sexual offences", reports The Daily Telegraph.

Glitter, 68, real name Paul Gadd, was taken for interview at Charing Cross Police Station before being released 10 hours later until mid-December pending further inquiries. Police have made no secret of their intention to go after those who may have had knowledge of Savile's sex abuse - or partook in it themselves - with a radio producer, a photographer and a driver now of interest to the investigation team. Esther Rantzen, the broadcaster and founder of ChildLine, has passed emails to police containing sexual allegations against three "high profile" BBC employees, all of whom are still alive. The Met Police did not confirm what led to Glitter's arrest, though rumours suggest it is linked to an incident with a 13-year-old girl in Savile's dressing room at BBC Television Centre. Among those likely to be questioned by police is Freddie Starr, the comedian who was the subject of a claim that he tried to molest a 14-year-old girl in Savile's dressing room.

Meanwhile, the late television star's cottage in the Scottish Highlands was covered in abusive graffiti overnight on Saturday. 

Continue reading: Esther Rantzen Shops Three 'high Profile BBC Employees' To Jimmy Savile Police

Ever wondered why Sir Jimmy Savile - one of the Britain's most prolific charity fundraisers - never appeared on Children in Need, the BBC's UK charity that has raised over £600 million and changed the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the country?

Well, in light of recent revelations, you can probably take a wild guess why the British cooperation never wanted him involved. In a new interview with BBC Wales, former governor and Children in Need chairman Sir Roger Jones said he had suspicions about Savile and felt so strongly about the matter that he would not allow the presenter any involvement with the famous charity. Jones said he always felt Savile was a "pretty creepy sort of character," adding, "When I was with Children in Need, we took the decision that we didn't want him anywhere near the charity and we just stepped up our child protection policies which again would have put him at risk if he tried anything." Of course, Jones was extremely concerned about the potential of paedophiles becoming associated with the children's charity, saying, "They were just like flies around the honey pot. Not just in the fundraising, but also in the distribution of funds. I mean, if we had given money to a paedophile group, the sky would have fallen in on the BBC. So we were very, very careful, we were on red alert."

Sir Roger's comments come shortly after former glam rocker Gary Glitter was arrested on suspicion of sex offences by the Savile investigation police. He has since been released on bail.

Continue reading: So That's Why Sir Jimmy Savile Never Appeared On Children In Need

Scotland Yard officers working on the Jimmy Savile sex abuse case are preparing to arrest up to 12 'household names' within the next couple of days.

Police have discovered that TV stars may have helped Savile in his wave of abuse, or abused children themselves. Met commander Peter Spindler told the Daily Mail, "We will come for them."

Savile is believed to have had accomplices and the celebrities named by victims will be quizzed over sex assault allegations this week. Unveiling his plans for an "arrest strategy" featuring 30 officers, Spindler explained, "There is Savile but there are also others and if those others are living we can now look at them.I really do want them to take heed, and tell them that we will come for them." Despite the police's prompt actions, the Met has confessed they blew several chances to arrest Savile when he was alive. One woman spoke to them in the 1980s, as did another lady in 2003. Surrey police dropped an investigation in 2009 which concerned at four attacks, Jersey police shelved one probe regarding the notorious care home. This week, Business Secretary Vince Cable said, "The real scandal is why was it that in 2009 when he was still alive, the CPS had a lot of evidence and yet didn't prosecute."

Continue reading: Police Move To Arrest Celebrities Who Helped Jimmy Savile

Liz MacKean is probably not a name you've ever heard or read of before this week, but, her part in the original report for Newsnight has been thrust into a harsh limelight.

In response to the heat the BBC has faced in response to multitudinous claims that Savile abused young girls throughout his career, and the subsequent cancellation of MacKean's Newsnight report, she has taken voluntary redundancy, reports the Telegraph. 

Mark Thompson, even after his departure as BBC Boss, is facing consequences as his new job at the New York Times, may be under threat, as the American newspaper insists on examining the case against the BBC and subsequently of Thompson himself. Margaret Sullivan, current public editor at the New York Times, wrote an article about Thompson and his potential future role at the newspaper, and exposed trepidation in regard to the ex-BBC employee. Quoted by the Guardian she said, "It's worth considering now whether he is the right person for the job, given this turn of events." 

Continue reading: Liz MacKean Takes Voluntary Redundancy In Response To BBC Newsnight's Savilegate

Tonight, a BBC Panorama programme will challenge the explanation provided by the BBC itself, regarding the dismissal of a Newsnight investigation into Jimmy Savile’s alleged sex offences. The Newsnight editor responsible for dropping the programme - Peter Rippon - has now stepped aside “for the duration of the inquiry into Newsnight’s handling of the planned report.”

Earlier this month, Peter Rippon published an online blog, explaining his reasons for axing the Newsnight investigation. However, the BBC have now issued corrections to that blog, suggesting that it may have been inaccurate or misleading in some way. A statement from the broadcaster read “The BBC regrets these errors and will work with the Pollard Review to assemble all relevant evidence to enable the review to determine the full facts.”

The BBC’s Director General, George Entwhistle, has announced that there will be two separate investigations into the sex abuse claims made against Jimmy Savile. The first will look into why the Newsnight investigation was shelved. This investigation is being led by Nick Pollard, the former head of Sky News and is expected to report in December. The second investigation will look into the “culture of the BBC during the years that Savile worked there.” That investigation will be led by Dame Janet Smith and the results are expected in spring 2013. Tonight’s Panorama will be aired at 10:35pm on BBC One.

With mounting evidence against Jimmy Savile and the institutions that chose to protect him, one woman retains an open mind. Janet Cope was the television presenter's PA for 32 years, before he callously sacked her in front of a room full of people with two words 'She's out.' in 2001.

In a very revealing interview, Cope spoke candidly about her ex-boss. She claims to have known nothing of the abuse he inflicted on others, but this doesn't stop her admitting that she feared the man. Her testimony shows him to be a “very, very clever man” with an age complex but emotionless.

“On the face of it, Jim led a celibate, nomadic and simple life which may have disguised a more sordid double life...” she said. “He was always photographed with what he called dolly birds because he was terrified of growing old or being seen as old. Image was vital to him. He was like Peter Pan, forever surrounding himself with youngsters. It was his elixir...”

Continue reading: “Jim Had No Feeling, No Emotions At All”: Jimmy Savile's PA Of 32 Years Speaks Out.

In light of the recent allegations brought forth against former DJ John Peel, the BBC have announced that they will most likely drop the planned tribute they had arranged in his honour should the allegations that he impregnated a 15-year-old girl during the 70’s prove to be true.

The broadcasting corporation had plans to rename a section of the new BBC Broadcasting House after the late DJ, who died in 2004, but have now announced that should the accusation be proven against Peel then they will reconsider. A BBC spokesman said: "Clearly, in the event of proven allegations of sexual abuse the BBC would re-consider its decision on the naming of part of our new building."

After the revelations about the sexual antics of the late Sir Jimmy Savile last month, scrutiny has been placed on further DJs and presenters from the 60’s and 70’s about their sordid pasts. Peel is the latest person to face these accusations after a woman named Jane Nevin told the Daily Mail that she had had unprotected sex with Peel when she was 15, ultimately leading to her impregnation and later an abortion. Although Nevin never told Peel about the pregnancy and abortion at the time, she claims to have sent him a letter some 30 years later about the event, to which Peel replied, citing his relief that she wasn’t revealing that he had a secret love child.

Continue reading: BBC Consider Dropping John Peel Tribute Should Abuse Allegations Be Proven

Julie Fernandez, the 38-year-old actress best known for starring in Ricky Gervais' and Stephen Merchant's classic sitcom 'The Office', claims she was groped by Sir Jimmy Savile at the aged of 14.

Speaking to the BBC, Fernandez - who also starred in Eldorado - said Savile's hands "lingered in places they shouldn't" as she sat beside him in her wheelchair. Fernandez was invited onto Jim'll Fix It after writing to the BBC star. She said, "I was in my wheelchair, but I just remember his hands being everywhere and just lingering those two, three, four seconds slightly too long in places they shouldn't.But it wasn't particularly obvious either." The actress remembers "feeling uncomfortable" during the incident and noticing Savile's "huge rings" on his fingers. The actress, also a disability rights campaigner, said people were probably afraid to speak out against Savile because he was a prominent broadcaster. "He was a great fundraiser and all of these things, so possibly people didn't want to say negative things about him. Maybe they didn't think they would be believed," she said.

The Metropolitan Police is pursuing 340 potential lines of inquiry as to Jimmy Savile's sexual abuse, with over 40 potential victims.

The allegations against Sir Jimmy Savile continue to pile up by the day, with new claims suggesting the late BBC star had a set of keys to the high-security hospital Broadmoor, giving him access to patients' rooms.

One woman told The Sun that Savile assaulted her at the age of 13 while she and other girls watched television at the Berkshire hospital. "I felt absolutely disgusting afterwards - like I had been used as a piece of meat for his sexual gratification," said victim Alison Pink, who has since undergone a sex change. Broadmoor is now in the hands of the West London Mental Health NHS Trust, who say the allegations relate to a time when the institution was run as a separate organisation and that security arrangements have changed significantly since. Worryingly, allegations against Savile - who died last year - are cropping up across the country with North Yorkshire Police having forwarded a claim of abuse, Lancashire Police receiving two allegations, Tayside Police reporting one and West Yorkshire Police looking into several cases.

Scotland Yard, who called Savile a "predatory sex offender" this week, are investigating allegations of both rape and indecent assault.

A fourth, un-named British celebrity has been implicated in the Jimmy Savile sex scandal.

Last week, ITV screened a documentary about the former TV star’s alleged abuse of underage and vulnerable children and since then, further allegations of abuse have been made by Savile’s alleged victims. Savile himself died last year, though both Gary Glitter, 68 (already known as a child sex offender) and Freddie Starr, 69 have been accused of being connected, in some way, to Savile’s abuse. Starr has strenuously denied any involvement.

The new TV celebrity to have been implicated in the allegations is also still alive, the Telegraph reports, though their identity has so far not been revealed. A member of the documentary’s production team said “We have had a name given to us which is so far not in the public domain. It relates to a celebrity, a media personality, who is alive. We are urging everyone who contacts us to go straight to the police.” Ten different police forces have been supplied with information regarding Jimmy Savile’s; the latest accusations reveal that he may have abused sick children at both Broadmoor and Leeds General Infirmary Hospitals.

Continue reading: Fourth TV Celebrity Implicated In Jimmy Savile Sex Abuse Scandal

The Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal continues to rock the UK. The latest addition to the disturbingly widespread set of allegations stem from Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor, as the Leeds hospital received an official complaint about the erstwhile TV star’s behaviour.

The Guardian reports that June Thornton was recovering from an operation at Leeds General Infirmary, where Savile was doing charity work, when she saw him abuse a fellow patient. "She had brain damage, and Jimmy Savile came in and kissed her," she told Sky News. "He started kissing her neck, running his hands up and down her arms, and then started to molest her. Because I was laid flat on my back, there was nothing I could do." This is one of two complaints received by the infirmary after allegations that Savile sexually assaulted teenage girls became public. The Metropolitan police said its investigation into allegations against Savile would include hospitals where he had volunteered.

Unfortunately, claims from hospitals keep appearing. A former patient Laura from Evesham in Worcestershire told BBC Radio 5 how Savile would do "ward rounds" and take children to a private room. “I just remember people saying 'I wonder which one of us would be the 'chosen one' to go to his 'little room'. I remember the nurses tucking me in saying. 'The best thing you can do is stay in bed, don't ask to be put in your wheelchair today and pretend to be asleep.'” We don’t expect this story to go away anytime soon, as a full investigation into the BBC to ascertain the facts surrounding Savile’s alleged behaviour is set to get underway.

The late DJ Jimmy Savile's headstone was broken up and sent to landfill this week as allegations against the broadcaster begin to grow.. Savile allegedly handpicked certain patients on "ward rounds" at Buckinghamshire hospital who he would subsequently abuse at his flat on the site, a former nurse has revealed. Young patients would "pretend to be asleep" so as not to be picked by the Yorkshire-born star, reports The Telegraph.

The claims come as police forces work tirelessly to wade through the seemingly endless allegations that have been made against Savile since an ITV exposure documentary was aired last week. Though the BBC initially remained cautious on the allegations, it has since opened up a full investigation, while Scotland Yard has described Savile as a "predatory sex offender." His list of alleged victims currently stands at around 30, though that figure is likely to swell dramatically in the coming weeks. Savile, whose headstone was removed from his resting place in Scarborough, is thought to have molested girls in his dressing room at the BBC, though is also accused of preying on young people in schools, children's homes and hospitals. A former patient at Stoke Mandeville, Rebecca Owen told BBC News, "It was an air of resignation that you had to put up with.There was some sort of ironic chatter between them (patients) about who would be the lucky one to go off to his room.And then as one of the nurses was leaving or passing by my bed she leant over and said the best thing you can do is stay in bed until he's gone and pretend to be asleep."

A café at Buckinghamshire hospital named after Savile is likely to change its name. Sylvia Nicol, a trustee said, "I feel sad, really. I feel bereaved, really, and just so unhappy.I only know that in 38 years I did not see anything like that and if you did you would report it immediately."

Freddie Starr has described Sir Jimmy Savile as “despicable.” The comedian Freddie Starr has been implicated in the latest string of allegations about Jimmy Savile’s sexual abuse against underage girls. Sophie Lea, 34, has waived her right to anonymity and has accused Starr of “groping” her in Jimmy Savile’s BBC dressing room, during the filming of an episode of ‘Clunk Click,’ The Press Association reports. She also claims to have been sexually abused by Savile.

Starr strongly refutes Sophie’s claims, though his initial insistence that he was not even at the recording of the show were proved wrong when Channel 4 News showed him clearly on the show, sitting just a short way from Ms Ward. After that discovery was made, Starr claimed that he could not remember being on the show, because he had been on so many but insists that he would “never ever ever touch an underage girl” and states that he never allowed people into his dressing room. When asked what he thought of Jimmy Savile, Freddie Starr said “I think he's abused his position. Despicable. There's no words to say about what that man's done and the way he conducted himself. That man's disgusting.”

Starr then claimed that he was suffering from palpitations, as a result of the ensuing media storm and was having to go to hospital for a check-up. He described Ms Lea’s claims as “false accusations” and said that he wants to be interviewed by police, to clear his name.

The nephew of the late broadcaster Sir Jimmy Savile has spoken to The Telegraph, and is ''disgusted and disappointed'' that allegations his uncle sexually abused school girls have been made.

“I just get so disgusted and disappointed by it. The guy hasn't been dead for a year yet and they're bringing these stories out,” explained Roger Foster. “It could affect his legacy, his charity work, everything. I'm very sad and disgusted,” he continued. One of Mr Foster’s biggest grievances is Savile’s inability to defend himself under these claims. ''I just think it's very, very sad you can say these things after someone's died and the law says you can't defend yourself when you're dead.'' Sir Jimmy, who was famous for TV shows like Jim'll Fix It and Top Of The Pops as well as being a DJ on Radio One, died at his home in Leeds on October 29 last year, aged 84. His knighthood, which offers up the prefix of ‘Sir’ to his name, is now in jeopardy amidst these fresh claims. Given Mr Foster’s public words on the matters, he will be under intense scrutiny should a judicial case ensue, and the allegations prove to be founded in truth.

Exposure: The Other Side Of Jimmy Savile was shown on ITV1 last Wednesday (October , and given the BBC’s recent shelving of their own Savile documentary, millions are expected to tune in.

As the allegations against the late Sir Jimmy Savile continue to swell, residents of the Yorkshire coastal town of Scarborough were probably relived to see the back of 'Savile View' - a footpath named after the television presenter.

The local council were given no choice but to remove a sign marking the footpath this week. It's the latest tribute to the entertainer to be removed in the area, with a plaque outside Savile's former home taken down last week after it was defaced and vandalised. Bill Chatt, a Scarborough Borough Council cabinet member, told the BBC, "The revelations last week made us aware this was a big issue for the borough and we decided to remove the signs until the investigation by the Metropolitan Police is concluded." Sir Jimmy had a long-association with the town and was buried in Scarborough following his death in October 2011. "I think he saw this as his spiritual home. I was shocked when I heard so many people on television saying 'we knew he was a wrong 'un' when we had thought he was a good 'un."

Security at the cemetery in which Savile is buried has been stepped up in recent days after an ITV exposure documentary claimed he had sexually abused several underage girls during his career. The allegations are as yet unproved, though police have launched an investigation.

Sir Jimmy Savile has been branded a “national disgrace” by comedian Freddie Starr in light of the recent allegations that the former entertainer and philanthropist sexually abused under-aged girls.

Starr’s statement came after he was accused of joining the late Saville and proven paedophile Gary Glitter in a three-way dressing room attack on a girl during the seventies, with Starr insisting that he had nothing to do with the attacka and that he has never abused a girl in his life. Starr also claimed that he and Savile had never been friends and had only met him on a few occasions. Speaking to The Mirror he insisted: “We moved in different circles, and I never, ever joined them in a BBC dressing room.”

Yesterday, the father of six said that the ordeal he is being dragged into is putting his already deteriorating health at risk, with the comic having undergone a triple bypass in 2010 after suffering a heart attack. Now Starr wants to be distanced as far away from the allegations as possible should his health be risked any further.

Continue reading: Sir Jimmy Savile Branded A ‘National Disgrace’

The British press has been rocked by specualtion that legendary entertainer and television presenter Sir Jimmy Savile engaged in sexual acts with a number of under aged girls. Now, broadcaster Janet Street Porter, has added credence to the allegations, recalling hearing rumours of this whilst she was working for the BBC in the 1970's and 80's.

Speaking on Question Time last night, Porter said that she and " a lot of people in the BBC knew what was going on," adding that she "heard the rumours but I was working in an environment that was totally male."

Janet, who has worked in a number of broadcasting roles since 1975, said that she had long been aware of the quiet things that went on inside dressing rooms across the TV industry and did not solely refer to the late Savile when she mentioned these goings on.

Continue reading: Janet Street Porter Knew Of Sir Jimmy Savile’s Sex Scandal?

A statue of Sir Jimmy Savile has been removed from its position at a leisure centre in Glasgow as police begin an investigation into allegations of child abuse. A wooden carving of the Yorkshire-born DJ and presenter has stood on the site since the mid 1990s, in honour of Savile’s charity work, though it disappeared earlier this week.

A spokesman for Glasgow Life told The Scotman, “Given the current controversy and the seriousness of the allegations, we thought it appropriate to move the statue at this time.” A Jimmy Savile documentary set to air on ITV tonight (October 3, 2012) claims the presenter sexually abused a string of teenage girls at the height of his fame. The BBC – who Savile worked closely with throughout this career – initially reacted angrily to its rival channel’s allegations, though has since issued a statement that read, “A number of serious and disturbing allegations have been made over the past few days about the sexual abuse of teenage girls by Jimmy Savile…Some of these allegations relate to activity on BBC premises in the 1960s and 70s. We are horrified by allegations that anything of this sort could have happened at the BBC - or have been carried out by anyone working for the BBC.”

Reports today also suggest that plans to convert Sir Jimmy’s cottage into a respite centre for the disabled could be abandoned. A trustee who was overseeing the £40 million Highland project told The Telegraph that the job was now “in limbo,” adding, “These allegations will do a great deal of harm to the work that the charitable trusts are planning.”

Rumours of Jimmy Savile’s alleged child abuse have been floating around for years, and throughout much of his life. Louis Theroux touched upon this issue in the 2000 BBC documentary “When Louis Met Jimmy” and yet it remained unresolved. Now, almost a year after his death, there seems to be answer to the question, and yet, perhaps, no true resolution or retribution for the victims.

The Jimmy Savile documentary that will be broadcast this Wednesday on ITV1 (03/10/2012) purports to expose the “truth” of Savile's offences. The show includes the confessions of four of Savile's victims, all of whom were allegedly pursued and abused by Savile as teenagers, so reports the Daily Mail having been given an exclusive preview of the documentary.

Theroux, responded to the news of the imminent documentary on his Facebook page, saying: “I can’t say that I’m completely blindsided by these revelations. Still, it’s shocking and upsetting to have one’s worst fears confirmed.” In the original documentary in 2000, Jimmy came across partly as a bit of an egomaniac, but more than anything a little bizarre particularly in his Miss Havisham style preservation of the bedroom of the late “Duchess”, his mother.

Continue reading: Louis Theroux Unsurprised By Jimmy Savile Child Abuse Allegations

SirJimmy Savile's's family have been left disgusted by recent accusations that the late DJ and club promoter indulged in sexually abusing underage girls. A documentary to be aired on UK network ITV later this week alleges that the hitherto well-loved personality abused girls going as far back as the 1970s, the acts taking place either in his famous Rolls Royce, or at BBC TV Centre.

However, speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Savile's nephew Roger Foster has lept to the defence of his uncle, who died last year aged 84. ''I just get so disgusted and disappointed by it. The guy hasn't been dead for a year yet and they're bringing these stories out" lambasted Foster, who also claimed that such muck spreading could affect charities set up or contributed to by the late DJ.''It could affect his legacy, his charity work, everything" Foster continued, adding ''I'm very sad and disgusted. I just don't understand the motives behind this. 'I just think it's very, very sad you can say these things after someone's died and the law says you can't defend yourself when you're dead.''

For their part, the BBC have released a statement that they've no wrongdoing on Savile's part during the time he was employed by them. "The BBC has conducted extensive searches of its files to establish whether there is any record of misconduct or allegations of misconduct by Sir Jimmy Savile during his time at the BBC. No such evidence has been found" the statement read.