Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story review: A harrowing account of Britain's most vile predator

3.5/5

Story:
The two-part docuseries directed by Rowan Deacon puts the life of the notorious Jimmy Savile under the microscope. Using archival footage and interviews with those who worked with him for decades, Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story narrates the story of how one man deceived an entire nation while he sexually abused hundreds for nearly half a century.

Review:
When Jimmy Savile passed away in 2011 at his residence in Leeds, Britain mourned the loss of its most recognisable and beloved celebrities. His funeral services and his death brought an entire nation to a standstill. Tributes poured in as if he were a member of the Royal family. The following year every major news outlet in Britain, including the BBC where Savile worked for over fifty years, published stories about sex abuse by the once loved TV and radio presenter. He is alleged to have assaulted over 400 children, women, men, and even senior citizens for nearly 50 years.

The docuseries attempts to find logic as to how his depravity and his predatory behaviour had gone unnoticed for a good part of the 20th century. The scale and magnitude of Savile’s crimes are as terrifying as a fictional story straight from the pages of a Stephen King novel. But unlike so many tales where the vile paedophile finally meets his comeuppance, Jimmy Savile lived for 85 years enjoying all his riches and died of natural causes at his home in Leeds.

The first episode of the series takes a look at his life as a presenter at the BBC, his charity work where he raised millions, his popularity, and his close personal relationship with Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Prime Minister Margeret Thatcher. Allison Bellamy, the journalist who wrote Savile’s biography, revealed several letters Prince Charles had sent to Savile, seeking Savile’s advice on topics ranging from personal to national importance. His friendship with Margaret Thatcher, on the other hand, was widely publicised. In fact, Thatcher was instrumental in Savile’s knighthood.

It should come as no surprise as to why none of his victims came forward because it would essentially mean that they would be up against the whole British establishment, from police officers, judges, MPs, Prime Ministers, and even the monarchy. However, Savile’s trump card that protected him from prosecution was the Law of Defamation in the UK. Considering most of his victims were minors and most were historical crimes, there was very little evidence to charge Savile. Therefore, it also prevented the media from publishing any stories as they would have been sued by Savile using the Law of Defamation. It is also one of the reasons why the British media published all the stories after his death, as the law cannot be used if the person in question has passed away.

The series goes to great lengths to show how the various institutions he helped through charity were places where he preyed on his victims. The interview with one of the victims, as she recounted the days when she was repeatedly abused by Savile at the age of 11, is heartbreaking. But what’s more worrying is how law enforcement and the media, BBC in particular, failed to launch a thorough investigation into the allegations which began in the 60s, none of which were well publicised. BBC’s own internal investigation led by Meirion Jones was not broadcast due to internal pressure from certain individuals. It was only after another review was made to reassess the BBC’s culture and practices and as to why the BBC's investigation was never aired, that the BBC finally released its findings.

While the documentary does provide a comprehensive analysis of Jimmy Savile, his crimes, and the establishment’s blind eye towards the allegations, it fails to delve further into those who were, directly and indirectly, responsible for protecting Savile. Yorkshire police officers who were his friends, the monarchy’s stance on Savile in his final years, and the senior management within BBC who protected him are barely mentioned in the documentary. Quite possibly, and ironically, due to the Law of Defamation.

The story of Sir James Savile or simply Jimmy, as an entire nation referred to him endearingly for decades, is a brutal reminder that people must always take caution when idolising individuals and putting them on a pedestal.

Verdict:
The docuseries is far from perfect, but it delivers compelling insight into the twisted world of Jimmy Savile and how he fooled an entire nation for more than half a century.