Major Controversies Surrounding Jimmy Savile: A Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Jimmy Savile.

Jimmy Savile was a British media personality and DJ, famous for hosting Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It, and known for his charitable work. Posthumously, hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse surfaced, revealing him as a predatory sex offender. These accusations, involving both children and the elderly, shattered his public image. Despite some allegations during his lifetime, they were largely ignored, allowing Savile to continue his abuse for decades.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1955: Complaints of Savile's abuse date back to 1955

In January 2013, a joint report stated that complaints against Jimmy Savile spanned from 1955 to 2009.

1958: First Police Investigation

In 1958, the earliest known police investigation considered reports about Jimmy Savile, but did not lead to charges due to insufficient evidence related to sexual offences.

1963: Sporadic Allegations of Child Abuse

From 1963, sporadic allegations of child abuse were made against Jimmy Savile, though these only became widely publicized after his death.

October 1978: John Lydon's Interview

In an October 1978 interview recorded for BBC Radio 1, John Lydon alluded to sordid conduct by Jimmy Savile and its suppression. The comments were edited out by the BBC prior to broadcasting.

1987: Jerry Sadowitz's Performance

In 1987, Scottish stand-up comedian Jerry Sadowitz recorded a performance in Edinburgh in which he stated that Jimmy Savile was a paedophile. The album, Gobshite, was withdrawn amid fears of legal action.

January 1988: News of the World Article

In January 1988, the News of the World published an article suggesting Jimmy Savile had been in a position to secure the release of "dangerous" patients from Broadmoor Hospital.

1990: Interview with Lynn Barber

In a 1990 interview for The Independent on Sunday, Lynn Barber asked Jimmy Savile about rumours that he liked "little girls", to which Savile responded that it was because he knew famous people.

1994: Fake obituary on BBC Radio 1

In 1994, satirist Chris Morris gave a fake obituary on BBC Radio 1 saying that Jimmy Savile had collapsed and died, which allegedly drew threats of legal action from Savile and forced an apology from Morris.

1998: Anonymous letter received by Honours Committee

In 1998, the Honours Committee received an anonymous letter stating that "reports of a paedophilia nature" could emerge about Jimmy Savile.

April 2000: When Louis Met... Jimmy

In April 2000, Jimmy Savile was the subject of a documentary by Louis Theroux in the 'When Louis Met...' series, where he confided about beating people up and rumours of paedophilia. He said that it was easier for him to say he didn't like children, because that put a lot of salacious tabloid people off the hunt.

April 2000: Louis Theroux Documentary

In April 2000, in a documentary by Louis Theroux, When Louis Met... Jimmy, Jimmy Savile acknowledged rumours about whether he was a paedophile and denied them.

2007: Interviewed Under Caution

In 2007, Jimmy Savile was interviewed under caution by police investigating an allegation of indecent assault in the 1970s at Duncroft Approved School for Girls.

March 2008: Legal Proceedings Against The Sun

In March 2008, Jimmy Savile started legal proceedings against The Sun, which had linked him to child abuse at the Jersey children's home Haut de la Garenne.

October 2009: Insufficient Evidence for Charges

In October 2009, the Crown Prosecution Service advised that there was insufficient evidence to take any further action regarding the allegation of indecent assault in the 1970s at Duncroft Approved School for Girls. No charges were brought.

2009: Review of 2009 decision to drop prosecution

By 19 October 2012, Operation Yewtree was opened to review the 2009 decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to drop a prosecution of Jimmy Savile as "unlikely to succeed."

2009: Complaints of Savile's abuse up to 2009

In January 2013, a joint report stated that complaints against Jimmy Savile spanned from 1955 to 2009, with victims ranging from 8 to 47 years old.

2009: Savile Defends Viewers of Child Pornography

In a 2009 interview with his biographer, Jimmy Savile defended viewers of child pornography, including pop star Gary Glitter. He argued that they "didn't do anything wrong" and described Glitter as unfairly vilified. The interview was not published at the time.

October 2011: Death of Jimmy Savile

In October 2011, Jimmy Savile died at the age of 84. After his death, hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse were made against him, tarnishing his reputation and leading the police to conclude that he was a predatory sex offender.

December 2011: Newsnight investigation into Savile's sexual abuse withdrawn

In December 2011, BBC's Newsnight program withdrew an investigation into Jimmy Savile based on reports he was a sexual abuser. The investigation included interviews with alleged victims of abuse at Duncroft Approved School for Girls, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and the BBC. Two tributes to Savile were broadcast instead over Christmas 2011.

December 2011: Newsnight investigation into Savile's sexual abuse not publicly mentioned

In December 2011, there was no public mention of the Newsnight investigation into Jimmy Savile's alleged sexual abuse immediately after his death, but in early 2012 newspapers reported that the BBC had investigated but not broadcast allegations of abuse. The Oldie alleged a cover-up by the BBC.

December 2011: Nick Pollard appointed to investigate dropped Newsnight investigation

In October 2012, in the wake of the developing scandal, Nick Pollard was appointed to investigate why the Newsnight investigation into Jimmy Savile's activities was dropped shortly before transmission in December 2011.

October 2012: Police pursue 400 lines of inquiry in Savile case

By 19 October 2012, police were pursuing 400 lines of inquiry based on testimony from 200 witnesses. The alleged abuse was described as "on an unprecedented scale", and the number of potential victims as "staggering". Operation Yewtree was opened to identify criminal conduct related to Savile's activities.

October 2012: Charities Announce Closure

During the sexual abuse scandal in October 2012, the Jimmy Savile Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust and the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust announced they would distribute their funds, totaling £1.7 million and £3.7 million respectively, among other charities and then close down.

October 2012: ITV Documentary and Abuse Claims

In October 2012, an ITV documentary examined claims of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile, leading to extensive media coverage and numerous accusations.

October 2012: BBC and NHS inquiries launched

In October 2012, inquiries into practices at the BBC and the National Health Service were initiated due to the developing scandal. George Entwistle, Director-General of the BBC, apologized, and Dame Janet Smith was appointed to review the BBC's culture and practices during Savile's time there. Nick Pollard was appointed to investigate why the Newsnight investigation was dropped in December 2011.

October 2012: Panorama investigation and resignation at Newsnight

On 22 October 2012, the BBC program Panorama broadcast an investigation into Newsnight, finding evidence suggesting "senior manager" pressure; on the same day Newsnight editor Peter Rippon "stepped down" with immediate effect. The Department of Health appointed Kate Lampard to chair investigations into Savile's activities at various hospitals.

October 2012: Removal of Savile's headstone

On 9 October 2012, relatives said the headstone of Jimmy Savile's grave would be removed, destroyed, and sent to landfill. The Savile family expressed their sorrow for the "anguish" of the victims. On 28 October, it was reported that Savile's cottage in Glen Coe had been vandalised.

October 2012: Places and organisations remove Savile's name

Within a month of the child abuse scandal emerging, many places and organisations named after or connected to Savile were renamed or had his name removed. A memorial plaque on the wall of Savile's former home in Scarborough was removed in early October 2012 after it was defaced with graffiti. A wooden statue of Savile at Scotstoun Leisure Centre in Glasgow was also removed around the same time.

November 2012: Exposure Update: The Jimmy Savile Investigation shown on ITV

Exposure Update: The Jimmy Savile Investigation was shown on ITV on 21 November 2012, detailing the extent of allegations against Savile.

November 2012: Scale of allegations against Savile deemed unprecedented

On 12 November 2012, the Metropolitan Police announced that the scale of sexual allegations reported against Savile was "unprecedented" in Britain, with a total of 450 alleged victims contacting the police in the ten weeks since the investigation was launched.

December 2012: Review of BBC's handling of Savile allegations

In December 2012, Nick Pollard's review of the BBC's handling of the Savile scandal described the decision not to broadcast the Newsnight investigation as flawed. The review highlighted cogent evidence of Savile's abuse and criticized George Entwistle's caution.

2012: Savile Banned from Children in Need

In 2012, Sir Roger Jones disclosed that more than a decade before Jimmy Savile's death, he had banned the "very strange" and "creepy" Savile from involvement in the BBC charity Children in Need.

2012: Reports of Abuse at Hospitals

In 2012, it was reported that Jimmy Savile had sexually abused vulnerable patients at Stoke Mandeville and Broadmoor Hospitals.

January 2013: Joint report details complaints against Savile

In January 2013, a joint report by the NSPCC and Metropolitan Police, Giving Victims a Voice, stated that 450 people had made complaints against Savile. The alleged abuse spanned from 1955 to 2009, with victims ranging from 8 to 47 years old.

November 2013: Adrian Street describes Savile's behaviour in interview

In a November 2013 interview, former professional wrestler Adrian Street described how Jimmy Savile would boast about young girls waiting for him outside his dressing room and how he would choose which ones he wanted.

2013: Release of Public Image Ltd Album with Unedited Interview

In 2013, after Jimmy Savile's death, the complete 1978 BBC Radio 1 interview with John Lydon, including his comments about Savile, was included as a bonus track on a re-release of Public Image Ltd's 1978 debut album Public Image: First Issue.

June 2014: NHS Investigations Concluded

In June 2014, investigations into Jimmy Savile's activities at 28 NHS hospitals concluded that he had sexually assaulted staff and patients aged between 5 and 75 over several decades.

June 2014: Public apology delivered by UK Secretary of State for Health

On 26 June 2014, UK Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt delivered a public apology in the House of Commons to the patients of the National Health Service abused by Savile. He confirmed that complaints had been raised before 2012 but were ignored by the bureaucratic system.

October 2014: Lydon Expands on Savile Comments

In October 2014, John Lydon expanded on his original 1978 quote about Jimmy Savile, expressing his disgust at the media for pretending they weren't aware of Savile's conduct.

2016: Follow-Up Theroux Documentary

In 2016, a follow-up documentary, Louis Theroux: Savile, about Jimmy Savile and Louis Theroux's inability to dig more deeply, aired on BBC Two.

March 2019: Concerns about Savile's private life during Honours Committee meeting

During the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in March 2019, it was reported that Robert Armstrong, the head of the Honours Committee, had resisted attempts by Margaret Thatcher to award Savile a knighthood in the 1980s, due to concerns about his private life.

October 2020: BBC announces television mini-series

In October 2020 the BBC announced a television mini-series with the working title The Reckoning, intended to recount Jimmy Savile's rise to fame and the sexual abuse scandal that emerged after his death.

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September 2021: Cabinet Office statement on Savile's honours

In September 2021, the Cabinet Office stated, with reference to Savile's OBE and knighthood, that "The Forfeiture Committee can confirm that had James Wilson Vincent Savile been convicted of the crimes of which he is accused, forfeiture proceedings would have commenced."

April 2022: Netflix releases documentary on Savile

In April 2022, Netflix released a two-part documentary, Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story, covering Savile's life, career, history of sexual abuse, and the scandal following his death in 2011.

2022: Former BBC presenter Mark Lawson writes about Savile encounters

In 2022, former BBC presenter Mark Lawson wrote about his encounters with Jimmy Savile, and hearing from many BBC personnel about Savile's abuse and rumored necrophilia.