How did Jimmy Savile die, when was his offending found out and how many victims were there
09.10.2023 - 20:09
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Steve Coogan stars as Jimmy Savile in a new BBC drama series about the disgraced presenter's rise to fame and his sickening crimes, which he hid in plain sight for decades.
The presenter, known for shows such as Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It, sexually abused hundreds of victims, mostly children, but his offending did not come to light until after his death in 2011.
Savile was found dead at the age of 84 in his flat overlooking Roundhey Park in Leeds on October 29. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
READ MORE: Steve Coogan on playing disgraced star Jimmy Savile in new BBC drama
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At the time, his nephew, Roger Foster, said he "passed away quietly in his sleep during the night". Savile's death came a short while after he had been in hospital battling pneumonia.
Savile was buried at Woodlands Cemetery in Scarborough after reportedly demanding to be buried at a 45-degree angle so he could see the sea. Thousands of people went to see his closed coffin, which was put on display in Leeds before being buried.
Immediately after Savile's death, the BBC's Newsnight programme began investigating reports that Savile had sexually abused victims during his lifetime. The entertainer faced multiple allegations of sex offences while he was still alive, but they were all dismissed.
Two police investigations considered reports about Savile, the earliest known being in 1958, but the reports concluded that there was insufficient evidence for any charges to be brought. It wasn't until a police investigation after his death uncovered his crimes that the extent of Savile's offending became public knowledge.
The BBC investigation was