Jimmy Savile (31 October 1926 – 29 October 2011) was an English media personality whose career began as a deejay at dance halls in his native Leeds.
He joined The BBC in 1964, regularly presenting shows from the 1970s until the 1990s, through which he became known for his eccentricities. The shows also acted as a forum for philanthropic work for various hospitals that led to him receiving many honours, most of which have since been posthumously rescinded.
His death on 29th October 2011 led to a two-hour tribute programme that aired on the BBC.
A year later, ITV broadcast a documentary about Savile that triggered a police investigation into the biggest sexual abuse scandal in British history. As a consequence, almost all of his TV work was edited or withdrawn.
Savile and the associated scandals have appeared several times in media:
- The 2015 play An Audience With Jimmy Savile (written by Jonathan Maitland) stars Alistair McGowan as Savile, with an event celebrating his life contrasted with the abuse he committed.
- The 2022 documentary Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story looks back at Savile's life and how he used his fame to mask his actions.
- The 2023 series The Reckoning dramatises Savile's life, with Steve Coogan playing Savile.
Tropes associated with Jimmy Savile:
- Alliterative Title: Clunk Click was the name of a pop music show he presented, and also a reference to Savile's road safety Public Service Announcements.
- Celebrity Cameo: He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006.
- Crossover: Appeared in a special mini-episode of Doctor Who, "A Fix with Sontarans", along with a child who wanted to appear in an episode of his favorite show. It was subsequently banned from inclusion in DVDs until an edited version removed all reference to Savile.