Sir Jimmy Savile, the late DJ and television presenter, has been accused of sexual abuse against under-age teenage girls in an ITV1 documentary to be shown on Wednesday. The programme, titled 'Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile', includes interviews with several alleged victims.
Savile, who died in 2011 at the age of 84, was never charged with any abuse offences during his lifetime. One complaint was made to Surrey Police in 2007, but following an investigation, no further action was taken. The abuse is alleged to have taken place in hospitals, schools, and BBC buildings.
Esther Rantzen, who worked as a television presenter at the BBC during Savile's heyday in the 1970s, said there were rumours about the star. After watching the alleged victims' evidence, she said she believed the testimonies and now thinks the rumours were true. 'We all blocked our ears to the gossip,' she said. 'We made him into the Jimmy Savile who was untouchable.'
The BBC stated that it had conducted extensive searches of its files but found no evidence of misconduct or allegations against Savile during his time at the corporation. 'In the absence of evidence of any kind found at the BBC that corroborates the allegations that have been made, it is simply not possible for the corporation to take any further action,' a spokesman said.
Savile's niece, Amanda McKenna, criticised the documentary, saying the makers should be 'ashamed of themselves cashing in on a man who is dead and cannot defend himself.' His nephew, Roger Foster, expressed concern that the allegations could damage the reputation of charities Savile raised funds for.
