Author(s): John McShane

True Crime

When Sir Jimmy Savile died in 2011 he was celebrated as a prolific charity fundraiser who had dedicated his time to worthy causes. But on 3 October 2012, ITV broadcast a documentary called Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile. In it they revealed the shocking truth behind the popular TV persona. Several women alleged that Savile had sexually abused them when they were underage, sparking a flurry of further allegations in the following days and weeks. Savile was accused of abusing hundreds of young children and teenagers over nearly 50 years and on 19 October the Metropolitan Police launched a formal criminal investigation into his behaviour. Just how was Savile allowed to get away with such monstrous crimes for so long? What role did the BBC play in sweeping previous allegations under the carpet? Why was a Newsnight investigation that was set to expose Savile shelved? How was he given access to vulnerable individuals? Who else was involved? Top journalist John McShane answers these questions and more in this unflinching examination of the scandal that has rocked some of Britain's most famous institutions to the core.
This is the full story of how Jimmy Savile went from being a TV favorite to the most reviled man in Britain.