Saville and the Sixties

By an unpleasant coincidence, in the same week that both the Beatles and the James Bond films are celebrating their 50th anniversary, this week also sees another child of the 60's in the news, for rather more scandalous reasons. A product of the pop scene and the "free love" era of the 1960's, "Sir" (for how long I wonder?) Jimmy Saville must surely now rank as one of its most blatant examples of philandering committed under the dazzle of celebrity, and one of the biggest turnarounds in a man's reputation since Oscar Wilde. Oddest of all, was that this dark secret wasn't really so secret at all.

For those who ever watched Jim'll Fix It or the countless other TV programmes and events that he was involved in, there was always that slightly seedy look to him. Maybe it was this obviousness that blinded people to the nastier undertones. His popularity and enormous accumulated wealth - and if we're honest, the love in which this man was held - seemed to have bought him a few liberties.

It is sometimes said that the good deeds of men outweigh their flaws. Death does not improve the character, but nor I think should it totally destroy it. A certain amount of care should be taken to totally demonise the man or to undo his charitable work (even though this, most despicable of all, was a cloak under which he could commit further abuse). It would be hypocritical of the nation (as hypocritical as Saville's own bad behaviour) to turn a perceived saint into a devil so vehemently - but already the lynch mob feeling is rampant throughout the nation, fuelled by a hungry Media eager to catch up on what they missed out on when Saville was alive.

It may be wrong and unfashionable of me to say it, but I still recall with affection his Jim'll Fix It programme (and the time when some lucky kids had their dream wish of visiting the set of the Star Wars films), and how he was a regular contributor to several London Marathons. Such a life is varied, and as we now know, with many sides to it. The Hyde has come out from his Dr. Jekyll. What Jimmy Saville did to young girls was wrong, but what he did away from all that was still right.

If there is a Hell, he may well be sitting there now with a cigar coming out of his mechanical armchair throne.


Jimmy Saville: Erasing the Memory (BBC website)