Savile: Portrait Of A Predator aired last Thursday on ITV, but it may have been too much for some viewers to handle.
Airing in the same month as the tenth anniversary of his death, the documentary gives an insight into the life of the twisted figure through interviews with those who worked with him, and the people who investigated his crimes, including detectives who took part in Operation Yewtree.
The operation was an investigation by police in Britain into sexual abuse allegations, especially those involving the abuse of children, which led to a full criminal investigation into a number of high-profile celebrities who were still living, as well as Jimmy Savile.
The documentary also interviews many musicians and guests on the BBC’s Top of the Pops, with one former musician who had met Savile multiple times stating, “he regarded top of the pops as a hunting ground. A hunting ground for young ladies.”
It’s also got many people asking questions about why the BBC, hospital trusts, and the police failed to stop him, despite the fact that Savile is considered to be one of these most prolific child rapists in Britain, with many viewers tweeting their disgust at the BBC’s perceived compliance.
A synopsis of the documentary states: “Savile’s decades-long career of abuse seriously affected the reputation of those who failed to stop him – most notably the BBC, hospital trusts, and the police – once the truth emerged widely after his death ten years ago.
“Seen through the eyes of those who worked alongside him and investigated him after his death ten years ago, this program features new testimony from those who were victims and who bore witness to his crimes while providing a vivid insight into how he courted the Establishment as a way of protecting himself.”
One angry viewer is quoted as saying that they have cancelled their TV license “after Jimmy Savile cover-up”.
This is not the first time the BBC has come under fire recently in regard to Jimmy Savile, as many people have criticized their upcoming miniseries, The Reckoning, which will detail his rise through to fame and the subsequent sexual assault scandals that emerged after his death in 2011.
The series has spawned a wave of controversy online, as many people believe it is inappropriate for the BBC to make a drama based on the disgraced celebrity’s life, as they view it as an attempt by the BBC to make money off a tragic and sickening story that they, in part, helped to facilitate.
Regardless of what extend the BBC and the police force factored in to Saville’s ability to perptrate his crimes over a number of decades, this documentary has left many viewers with questions around the true nature of Saville’s influence over his own image, and the British public in general.
