Jimmy Savile documentary viewers call for BBC to be 'defunded' as full extent of his abuse explored

The Jimmy Savile documentary on ITV last night (Thursday October 7) took a deeper dive into the vile predatory lifestyle of the disgraced former TV presenter.

Savile shocked viewers as it detailed his years of abuse while working for the BBC.

They then called for the public service broadcaster to be “defunded”.

What did the Savile documentary claim last night?

The one-hour film detailed how his cycle of abuse began in the late 1950s in the nightclubs of Leeds.

He then moved on to the BBC and, the documentary claimed, production staff on Top Of The Pops turned a blind eye to his awful, abusive habits.

However, the documentary also claimed that Savile’s calculated strategy also sought influence even higher.

Read more: BBC slated for commissioning Jimmy Savile drama as Steve Coogan casting news revealed

It showed how he made friends with Prince Charles and the Prime Minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher.

Mixing with the most influential people in the land, the documentary claimed, helped him hide in plain sight.

And as he carried out his many, shocking sexual assaults on survivors at various hospitals up and down the UK, his charity work always shielded him.

Former Operation Yewtree detective Gary Pankhurst said: “I don’t see anything that has come out from what happened that would really lead me to believe that they [the BBC] really understood what went wrong…

“… and they really understood the depths of how outrageous it was.”

A statement from the BBC then flashed onscreen.

“The passage of time does not lessen the fact that this was an incredibly dark period for the BBC.

“Today’s BBC is a very different place and we have measures in place to deal with complaints about harassment, which are considered with the utmost seriousness.”

How did viewers react to the Savile documentary?

Savile’s heinous abuse and the claims that the BBC turned a blind eye provoked strong reactions from viewers on social media.

One said: “BBC have blood on their hands. Defund them.

“They are protected now just as Savile was then. #Savile #DefundTheBBC.”

Another fumed: “Watching the #Savile documentary on ITV.

“Just how the BBC hierarchy enabled his perverted goings on, is a national disgrace.

Read more: Susanna Reid left ‘revolted’ after watching footage from new Jimmy Savile documentary

“For decades, producers, colleagues and BBC managers turned a blind eye, whilst he preyed on underage girls. Just horrid!”

A third wrote: “How the hell did the BBC or anyone allow any of that abuse to happen.

“It might have happened back in the day when times were different but you can literally see the abuse on camera and no one did anything!!! #savile.”