BBC HARDtalk - Francis Rossi on Jimmy Savile and TOTP (30/10/14)

[@ellie698]

As a naive young fan absolutely obsessed with status quo I met them, was alone in a room with Rick and Francis. I asked for their autograph and they were completely professional. I was totally safe with them, nothing whatsoever untoward. Great guys

[@iminyourhead9936]

Horrible music.

[@mikewest1542]

@@iminyourhead9936 . You plonker !

[@quintork4100]

thats good news as its from a fan who was there,always liked rossi!x

[@quintork4100]

@@mikewest1542 ever get the feeling he never even bothered reading what ellie said!x

[@robertgalloway3771]

The House of Commons is full of perverts, some are protected by the use of the shredder!

[@hazelwalsh3269]

Why should Francis be made to feel bad about Saville! The BBC were the ones who protected his behaviour for years!!

[@Proud_Bhoys]

Not just the BBC, the royal family protected him, do you think with all the queens intelligence services she has she never knew Jimmy Savile was a paedophile? My arse she fucking gave him a knighthood and he went to Prince Charles for Christmas every year and plus it's a bit funny that her son Prince Andrew has been caught in America haven sex with a girl who's underage ....Aye Right Wee Lizzy Knew!

[@Marubi2]

Hes a “friend” of jimmy saville

[@Pwwh0711]

There is a culture of non-accountability at the BBC...starting with no market pressure on their output, beyond internal liberal dogma, that is! Their programming agenda is a joke, while the money just keeps on rolling in as standards fall. My favourite was always Prof. Brian Cox & his production team having a 5 star world tour to explain some science...& why not?! "Those pleb mugs will acquiesce & pay for it, after all."

[@sylviaroberts8103]

Paolo H Taken me a year to see your comment but have to say, entirely agree.

[@dorianleakey]

Why do you imagine thats what they were doing? They jsut asked him questions, its more about getting dirt on Saville. I concede the BBC turned a blind eye, but so did every media outlet , they all knew.

[@paulkeogh3518]

How can a BBC interviewer have the nerve to question someone else about Saville when they enabled him for so many years.

[@TheSpiderlilly]

THIS

[@pocolol8424]

Because it’s not just the BBC that have buried it.

[@paulkeogh3518]

@@pocolol8424 The BBC didn’t just bury it they were complicit they enabled Saville.

[@tim66612343]

And the royal family, Tory party , NHS and others were implicit then

[@paulkeogh3518]

@@tim66612343 Members of each quite possibly.

[@stuzo666]

Very honest guy, humble and open, totally respect and believe him the quo were good lads

[@alanstrom2221]

Rossi touches his face a lot when interviewed.

[@paulkenney700]

@@alanstrom2221 also constantly moves then turns to his drink

[@kellyfinch5257]

same was said about Savile

[@kellyfinch5257]

really?

[@kellyfinch5257]

@@alanstrom2221 and gropes himself on stage , looks like he got away with it like he got away with 3 chords for 50 years

[@djb1317]

The sheer nerve of the BBC to grill him over this

[@johnwicks8299]

Francis is right. It was common knowledge about Jimmy Savile within the music industry as far back as the early 70's.

[@hayleybabe4905]

John Wicks but him and many many others continued a long career ! Knowing full well what was going on ! & did nothing ! Becoming rich & famous by keeping quiet !!!! Makes them as bad as him ! Infact worse !

[@johnwicks8299]

Yes very true. The fact is, me, along with the other members of the cover band I was in at that time, told lots of people, but no one would believe us. We also told them about other horrendous perversions JS apparently had. I won't go into the sordid details here, it's far too disgusting for words. Anyway, it appeared, from the responses of the folks we told, that they considered the stories way too far-fetched, so there couldn't possibly be any truth to it. Perhaps because we were a relatively unknown cover band - making a living, but far from being rich and famous - our story didn't have credence.

[@majbrittcastrupjrgensen2874]

auroraborememalice You are right. Things were very different in 70’s and in the 80’s. No one asked about your age, everything was allowed. I really don’t see the point of blaming anyone for something that happened all these years ago. What about the Rolling Stones for that matter, they were the worst of the worst. Groupies were very young. I saw a lot of things myself at a Sweet concert. That’s just the way things were..

[@wanderer299a]

read the groupie books, all the bands wanted 12 ur olds

[@garibaldi54]

@@wanderer299a Indeed and even many rock star autobiographies written a few decades ago will mention them having schoolgirl girlfriends, back then it was less of a concern, thats why the likes of Bill Wyman didn't even hide it from the public.

[@strumbolli]

How dare he ask Francis if he knew anything, when the BBC knew what was going on and interviews like this try to deflect the onus from the BBC

[@mikeyhall6091]

Don't agree. If Rossi knew there was something going on he had a duty of care which befalls everyone of us. He should have said something.

[@davidrice7568]

because he was there

[@micselaneouswickedwitch3526]

strumbolli Dr. Jonathan Miller, is this ringing any bells ? Golders Green 1976. Remember?

[@ConanMcDonnell]

I must be missing something here. Did Francis Rossi employ Jimmy Savile and was he in charge of the various teenage kids in the TOTP audience? Did Francis Rossi elevate Savile's status as a celebrity? Did Francis Rossi provide Jimmy Savile with his own TV shows which put him in direct contact with kids? When BBC staff were sexually assaulted by Savile, did Francis Rossi cover it up? Strumbolli is right - this is a disgrace. Mikey Hall you need to wise up. The BBC in the first instance is entirely responsible for that disgusting man getting away with it. We are now used to seeing these various personalities interviewed about how much they knew regarding Savile. Where are the faceless BBC executives and programmers who were responsible for employing Savile in the first place, for paying his wages, keeping him in a high profile job and for keeping an eye on his behaviour?

[@mikeyhall6091]

The law does not work that way!

[@bazmac26]

It was refreshing to hear someone clarify that people outside show business don’t realize that all the glamour and glitz is just a facade and behind the scenes isn’t like that.

[@michaelcampin1464]

Rock on Francis my m8. RIP Rick Parfitt. May the Quo and the Quo army live long and prosper.

[@honeybeebadger]

Why is Stephen Sackur asking Francis Rossi this question he needs to ask the BBC

[@carbonnieferrous2689]

Cos he's a typical BBC abuser excuser!

[@numbersix100]

honeybeebadger a BBC employee trying to suggest Mr Rossi should have done something about Savile😂😂😂 I’d have thought that was the BBC’s job which they failed do. The question is how pedophiles were/are there in the BBC?

[@GravityBoy72]

Ask Esther Rantzen.

[@oliveroneill1388]

fuck up.

[@MrPoupard]

Because Francis was there and Stephen wasn't.

[@jayanxiety]

It reminds me of the comments John Lydon made about Jimmy Saville. He had the nerve to say what everybody else was thinking and became blacklisted as a result. In recent years some interviewers asked him "Well why didn't you do something about it?". Like a young Punk rocker could actually do anything to prevent something.... He spoke up and got censored for it. I don't think that the interviewer here understands the music business. Status Quo were a rock band, growing in popularity at the time. Saville was a part of the older establishment. Those untouchables who called all the shots. The ones to blame are Saville himself and those who continued to employ him.

[@lemsip207]

The Nolan Sisters didn't speak up at the time though they have done more recently. They saw Jimmy Saville coming onto the youngest Nolan when she was only 14 and had just joined the group but they were standing by ready to punch him in the face if he went further. They were mostly teenagers themselves.

[@martin.baldock9719]

No Lydon showed no nerve at all, at the time he had a big platform to expose this and did nothing about it. So he could have done plenty but did nothing for his own selfish reasons. To put some perspective on this other Punk musicians achieved plenty at battling injustices with a fraction of Lydon's influence, they were more concerned about helping others than protecting their celebrity status. Lydon was more concerned at taking care of his ridiculous ego. As for censorship the band he was in deliberately tried to get censored because it would create publicity for themselves. When it came to doing the right thing Lydon had no moral compass

[@NeverKnowinglyUndersouled]

It's spelt Savile and the far right, Trump-loving royalist Lydon categorically did not shine a light on Savile and was never banned by the BBC. It annoys me that those myths still get believed by the gullible.

[@jayanxiety]

@@NeverKnowinglyUndersouled So WHAT exactly was Lydon supposed to do at the time he said this about Savile? With ZERO proof and only hearsay and a hunch to go on? He said what he and others thought at the time about Savile, risking possible legal repercussions. He might not have been "banned" from the BBC, but he was blacklisted by the higher ups.

[@jayanxiety]

@@martin.baldock9719 What could he have done with ZERO actual proof and only hearsay and a hunch to go on? He was 22 years old and only said what others may have felt, but feared legal repercussions. It's like somebody in the 90's accusing Prince Andrew of sexually grooming a minor. Without proof, one faces possible charges of slander.

[@emmaransford]

I totally agree with Francis on this subject matter

[@Wally-H]

I thought Francis spoke very well in this interview. He was completely honest and his comments were insightful.

[@johnbuoy1401]

I don’t. You telling me he didn’t dabble in underage girls in the 70s?? He virtually admits it. Just as guilty

[@martin.baldock9719]

@@Wally-H No he was neither insightful or honest. HIs body language clearly showed he was not telling the truth his avoidance in answering questions directly and even refusing to answer a question speaks volumes.

[@paulkenney700]

@@martin.baldock9719 cannot stand the bloke , I was a fan as a kid

[@richardplume3212]

Agree 4 me rule 303

[@CityPotter73]

The BBC seem to ignore their own part in what Savile was doing. They were his enablers and protectors.

[@gedhuffadine1873]

Absolutely Graham

[@martin.baldock9719]

That is absolute nonsense. This is a BBC journalist with no known connections to the abuse, it is his role to challenge interviewees. This is like an organisation's compliance and risk team that has had corrupt rogue traders previously screening incoming traders on their previous activities. Rossi is squirming and that tells you all you need to know regarding this, he clearly knew what was happening but decided it was not his problem. Lydon is even worse and is a first-class piece of &%$*

[@garyturner5790]

Nothing unusual from the denile broadcast corporation that they'd try to sweep it under the carpet this whoke Saville thing.

[@neilblenkinsop2613]

The bbc institution protected saville and his deviant behaviour for years right up to the point of being caught within the bbc there are more of his ilk and blackmail could have been the reason for his protection there was more than just him he was not alone they just haven’t been caught yet.

[@neilblenkinsop2613]

@@martin.baldock9719 Lyndon came out and plainly said his piece and no one would listen and was vilified for it at least he had the guts to come forward not like the rest of them who basically harboured his peado behaviour .

[@DrNosepick]

I look forward to seeing the BBC do a hard-hitting interview with their own senior managers about what they knew and why they said nothing. They could start with the ones who spiked the original Newsnight report.

[@garyturner5739]

I wouldn't hold my breath that happening anytime soon.

[@pommiebears]

Mandy Smith was with Bill Wyman from the stones and no one seemed to care! It was right there for all to see! People forget about that. He was with her from 13 years old!

[@wanderer299a]

yes but she wouldnt gi ve him her jollies

[@MaskedMono]

This interviewer should be questioning his bosses as to why they covered it up.

[@samandjennysambrook]

I could not agree more.. Why is he trying to make rossi feel uncomfortable.. 😣

[@seanscanlon9067]

The BBC is not a person and the bosses are people and do you really think the same people who controlled the BBC in the 1970s are still there now as "his bosses" today?

[@MaskedMono]

@@seanscanlon9067 they don't need to be there, he can go to their house. Also you can't say they're not people and then they are people?? U sound like a Jimmy Saville sympathiser

[@seanscanlon9067]

@@MaskedMono Neither of your first two comments even begin to make sense and bear no correlation to anything that I have previously said. The C in BBC stands for corporation and therefore the BBC is not a person, the BBC do employ people though but I will go out on a limb here and suggest that they no longer have the same people in charge today that they had in the 1970s, so blaming the BBC of today or more accurately the people of the BBC today for anything that occurred in the 1970s seems fairly pointless. As for your moronic final comment, if you had said that I sound like a BBC sympathiser then that at least might have made some kind of sense but instead you just made yourself look like a total idiot.

[@2011hwalker]

The interviewer wasnt in the BBC in the 80s

[@swanvictor887]

first time I've seen this, very interesting. Back in the 80s, I was a cameraman and often worked on TOTP and other pop shows, I also did a lot of Freelance work, privately, for big name DJs at their corporate gigs and events. Saville wasn't liked. By anyone! However, we (that is, crews) merely thought he was a secret gay who was into rent boys...just like his friend Jonathan King (whom went to prison!). The facts about his abuse of young children, was genuinely shocking. Rossi made a fair point about the young girls: I saw this with my own eyes, especially around the big-name DJs. Firstly, you could never tell how old they were because of the make-up, but some were definitely young in the crowd and usually, they were the most outrageous and rudest. Many girls only wanted sex or something.....all were desperate for ...Something...I don't know what but the desire to Escape, perhaps, from their drab existence? And yes, sometimes, these DJs (whom remember, were DJs NOT PRIESTS) DId take a girl or two into their beds for the night....colour me shocked, rock and roll eh? Same thing with footballers and sports stars: young rich often good-looking guys...I mean, what do you expect?! Even an ugly sod like me, had to be careful with the females in the audience, a mere humble cameraman, because I kid you not, girls would offer sex...No, I never accepted, I was too worried about what I might catch and besides, I preferred grown women with brains, not faceless teen girls who didn't know what they wanted! I'm pleased to say, most of the famous guys I worked for, had the same attitude as me and were decent blokes. Sometimes they succumbed, but only if the lady in question was clearly in her late 20s, a model or some such, whom knew what she was doing! But what Saville was up to...that bastard really did keep it under wraps and I'm not aware of anyone who had an inkling that he hurt very young kids. Weirdo, yes, but we didn't know he was a nonce. I too...wonder how far up the chain the secret went.....were they covering for the bastard...?

[@nickbarber2080]

Nobody wants ro talk about this kind of thing,it's opening a can of worms. At school a 14 year old was living with a 30-yr old record producer who dropped her off at school in her uniform each day. Who raised a fuss? No-one. What were her parents thinking? I know...they said we can't stop her. What was she herself thinking?

[@Glenn1967ful]

Savilr was power mad and seemingly had some very dodgy people around him who could have you beaten up or even killed for a large sum. I did read in the Sunday Mirror 10 years ago that some young producer told Savile he knew what he was doing in his dressing room and would report him, and was told by Savile he could have him killed for 5 grand. Also Savile had the full protection of the Establishment.

[@GlasPthalocyanine]

I grew up in the 70s and people were incredibly naive. Yes, people knew that he was creepy or "a bit of a perv". The problem is that girls were brought up with a lot of emphases on being "nice", whatever that means, and "sensible", whatever that means. So, I'd be interested in knowing why the women working at the BBC turned a blind eye. Because I went to a fairly nice girls' school and our heads were filled with all kinds of rubbish about what happened to girls who weren't nice or sensible. I'm pretty sure if the women at the BBC identified with parents who were a bit middle-class, they would have warned them not to leave their children alone with Saville, or Rolf Harris. Other kids would have been left to fend for themselves

[@swanvictor887]

@@GlasPthalocyanine well, for the most part, Saville kept the real sordid stuff very much under wraps. As I said in my earlier post, the revelations after he died, were beyond shocking. A few women DID suspect he was worse than just a nonce, Esther Rantzen for one, had serious issues with Saville. As for the other ladies, well, there were few women of any real power at the BBC at this time, it was very much an 'Old Boys Network' and I can testify, there was serious misogyny amongst high management, as well as often quite nasty racism (I was from South Wales originally, in my early 20s and I had never experienced real, nasty racism until I went to work in London!). The women who worked at the BBC were pretty awesome for the most part: educated, kind and very professional for the most part. The female producers of children's shows did their utmost to protect any children on the show and kids were always carefully escorted around the studios (mostly because, like a lot of TV studios, strange as this may sound, but there is a LOT of nudity and naked girls floating around!).

[@ThisPaintingLife]

They were children, so even if they were 'desperate' or 'only wanted sex,' they didn't know what it meant. It's up to the grown-ups to look after them, but what you describe is male predators taking advantage of childish naivete. Disgusting

[@davidhull1610]

John Lydon had the guts to shine a light on Saville many, many years before this interview. And good old Aunty Beeb effectively cancelled him. This was well known at the BBC at the highest level, so they can hardly be so bloody sanctimonious now!

[@Nuron666]

But how many young girls John Lydon sleep with. He was a big rock star. How much do we really know about these rock stars

[@kevinmassey7675]

@@Nuron666 John Lydon does not strike me of being that much of a hypocrite ( not that I know the guy) .I don't think underage girls was his scene or his thing.....his Missus is about 15 years older than him and they've been together years....?

[@Nuron666]

@@kevinmassey7675 what about in his younger days when he became a big punk rock star. What about all the band members. How much do we really know about the stuff they got up to. Every single band had a bunch of female groupie following these bands around.

[@kevinmassey7675]

@@Nuron666 you're right. We know very little about the guy away from the public eye so no point speculating.....(no smoke, no fire).....refer back to the original comment from David Hull , what the BBC and Savile actually did are the relevant points

[@Nuron666]

@@kevinmassey7675 I dont think we can blame the BBC. Back in those days, child abuse was not really big news like it is now. Sexual abuse went on, girls got their bums pinched by older men and no one made much fuss about it. Take for example Jerry Lee Lewis, he married his 13 year old cousin. His not been banned. He is still admired in the music industry even now.

[@wakeupuk3860]

Rossi is right, a different time and a different way of thinking. Back in 1968 I had a real crush on the most beautiful girl in the school and because we lived not far from each other, I often walked with her to school. I can remember I bought her a present when she turned 15 and asked her out, but she said she already had a boyfriend who had a car and was 27. Later I found out he would pick her up at her home, go in and say "Hello" to the parents and he would take her to his house and they would have sex. The estate we lived on was quite middle class and both her parents had good jobs. I asked her once if her parents knew, she smiled and said "They never ask me but I expect they knew" At my secondary school when in the 3rd year, our music teacher had a small room at the side of his black board and I can recall three times he asked a very pretty girl to go into the room, shut the door and come out 20 mins later, amazingly none of us pupils said anything at all about it. Many years later visiting my home town I met the girl now married with children and I asked her what was going on in there, and she quite bluntly said they were having sex. It just so happen I was a teacher from industry then and was really taken aback by this, as it was common practise in my time (1980/90s) to always ensure the classroom door was left open if ever a male teacher was in a classroom with a female pupil alone. Quite stunned at hearing this I said "Did other teachers know", her answer just totally amazed and she said "Yes of course" and told me two other teachers who were also having a sexual relationship with girls at one of the teacher's house where they took turns with them. Maybe she was lying but she said it, so matter of fact, I honestly believed her. This all happened in a leafy middle class country town and certainly not a working class sink estate. I have often wondered was such sexual misconduct with underage girls common in other areas of England in the 1960/70s. When you think how long Jimmy Saville got away with so much around the country it does make you think why he did and as Rossi states it was a different time and place then. Possibly it still goes on, when he said mothers would drop their 13 year old daughters backstage at the X-Factor auditions.

[@stuartbritton4811]

What would you say is underage? What would you say is overage? Why is fifteen year old sex right or wrong? At what age is right or wrong? Should men be prosecuted for sex if they are older than you think they should be? What about women? Is it wrong for women to have sex if they are under the age you think they should be or over the age you think they should be? If the law says this or that, does it mean that the law is right, and your own morals have no say any more? Homosexuality was not only condemned until the swinging sixties, it was illegal and you were treated like a paedophile is today. Why has the situation reversed nowadays? Who are we to admonish and ultimately erase thousands of years of human values with heritage with our own morals, not guided by God, but scientists and lawyers and psychologists?

[@peterclarke7240]

How to say you're a pedo without saying you're a pedo. Good work, Stuart, you just outed yourself online.

[@thelethargicponderer6793]

​@@peterclarke7240😂😂

[@myrescuecats3028]

Francis Rossi is a gentleman just like his late father. Knew his father well.

[@kellyfinch5257]

he isn't at all , he slags everyone off , including his fans at the concerts which I and partner walked out on

[@TaxingIsThieving]

@@kellyfinch5257 Recently?

[@kellyfinch5257]

@@TaxingIsThieving well 2022 concert my brother went to, he said oh a lot of you with bald heads out there , people gone to see / hear this talentless bloke to be insulted

[@TaxingIsThieving]

@@kellyfinch5257 What did he say?

[@petelowson5481]

The BBC made absolute gods out of guys who basically put a record on a record player or spoke into a microphone. They still do. It’s shocking really.

[@terrortorn]

Always surprises me, the BBC kept Saville as a childrens/light entertainer for the best part of 3 decades and they are asking others " did you know".

[@AnyoneCanSee]

Exactly. It is infuriating that he works for the men who protected and therefore promoted the abuse at the BBC. If you want to see how much power they still have over Britain look at how they stopped anyone naming Huw Edwards. If that had been a rock star their name would have been everywhere but they could shut down his name being published or spoken anywhere. That is some Orwellian type of power that we don't need in a democracy.

[@brew667]

Quo were a great band. Their cut of roadhouse blues is still one of the greatest covers ever

[@dopiaza2006]

Were? Still are!

[@mauricehawkins2968]

thank you Francis for telling the truth. to be abused in any way is sickening anyway but to be abused by a national entertainer... words fail me

[@martin.baldock9719]

He should have gone to the police and the national media. He did not but any person interested in the welfare of children would have done something.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

he was only interested in his career . . . . .a horrible person 😵‍💫

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

so if savile was proved to be a Liar .....and had an image as a nice guy ...Why would you trust anything that comes out of Francis Rossi' mouth? . . .To me this guy is seriously questionable !!! Looks and acts like a predator . . . . . . .

[@mauricehawkins2968]

There is one thing that is missing here and that is actual proof.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

@@mauricehawkins2968 maybe proof only comes forward after the death .... like savile . . . .

[@jakebond2294]

Next question...... So what do you know about Peter Sutcliffe? He was around when Quo were big. You must have known him.

[@gweilospur5877]

I don’t think Sutcliffe was ever on Top of the Pops.

[@kevinmassey7675]

@@gweilospur5877 Savile invited him. Part of the Leeds mafia....Not sure if Quo were actually on that particular episode though?

[@66gattaca]

This is not a particularly recent interview, but it remains here to be viewed. I’d like to think that the interviewer, Stephen Sackur, dies a little inside every time he thinks about it. As Rossi says he himself was a mid teenager when he met Saville on TOTP, why on earth should he have known what was going on? Sackur would regain some credibility by interviewing a few senior and middle management BBC figures from that time who did, undoubtedly, know Saville was a predator. Poor journalism.

[@stephenreeds3632]

And his prey was dropped off by their parents.....'mothers particularly.'

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

Rossi is a punk and Liar ....their music was also rubbish !

[@scienceevolves4417]

Perhaps savile just didn't fancy teenager rossi?

[@cymro6537]

Saville spent several Christmases with the Thatchers , he had ,KSSG, OBE and a Knighthood. Yes, Sir Jimmy Saville certainly had friends in high places.........

[@gweilospur5877]

Lady Di and Mother Teresa also knew Savile, so they must be guilty too.

[@cymro6537]

@@gweilospur5877 The certainly must've heard rumours...

[@gweilospur5877]

@@cymro6537 All the claims of rumours and “ everybody knew” were all made retrospectively with 20/20 hindsight.

[@cymro6537]

@@gweilospur5877 Nope .I heard rumours about him as a schoolboy in the late '70's

[@gweilospur5877]

@@cymro6537 Sure you did.......

[@Daxman360]

Rossi is a legend. Yes, he seemed uncomfortable at times, but wouldnt you be if you were being asked questions about stuff like that.

[@stupidhandles]

Jonathan Williams only if I had something to hide

[@Daxman360]

Rossi was a good looking guy. I'm sure he had enough legal age options outside of the TOTP filming.....Besides, Coke was higher up the priority list than girls!!

[@colinturner4158]

Jonathan Williams the people at the top are responsible not Rossi

[@pocolol8424]

@@Daxman360 Think about being extremely wealthy when you are 18 19 20. Look at behaviour when you are that age.Girls 14 15 years old saying the are older and getting into nightclubs or bars is a given as well as a 17 18 year olds not being remotely bothered about going with a 15 year old girl. I can recall girls age 14 15 at my school in the late 80s going out with 17 18 year olds and parents not batting an eyelid.

[@stuartmason3851]

I was shocked to see this,francis's body language,removal of shades,bumbeling words shows he could very well b hiding something,wot & he was a friend of savilles?

[@michaelw2816]

I grew up in Leeds in the 70s and we didn't believe the 'rumours' about Savile because he was endorsed by the conservative establishment. The police, the military, (the Royal Marines were his pallbearers), royalty and civic dignitaries all supported him. He also did a lot of 'charity' work that gave him immunity from suspicion.

[@Nautilus1972]

The BBC asking somebody why they didn't do anything ... about a guy they paid a salary to.

[@SD-li9g]

Ffs

[@dorianleakey]

They didnt ask him why he didnt do anything. Why did you pretend they did? If it was about coverig it up they would have tried to avoid discussing Saville. Not saying they dont share responsibility with Saville for trying hard not to see what he was doing, for never investigating.

[@arthurvasey]

By the 1980s, a rule was brought in that anyone appearing on Top Of The Pops in any capacity - audience members, individual singers or groups featuring kids - had to be at least 16 years old - I can remember seeing kids on the show in the 70s (the bits I was allowed to see) - but, by the early 80s, kids under 16 were not allowed to appear on the show itself - I think St Winifred’s School Choir were the last lot of underage children to perform their number one hit single, There’s No-One Quite Like Grandma, in the studio - by the time Musical Youth took Pass The Dutchie to the top of the charts, they did a video - the explanation for them not being able to perform it in the studio was that “they’re too young to appear in a TV studio at that time of night” - half of them were only 12 and the other half 15 - other groups that were kids, they just played a promo video!

[@glxxyz]

There's a KZbin video of Musical Youth performing on Top of the Pops in 1982. Also Aled Jones in 1985 when he was 15.

[@PoweredbyRobots]

Debbie Gibson was 15 when she was on, shanice was probably the same age.

[@andrew1984uk]

A BBC interviewer taking the moral high ground over Savile. That's ironic, isn't it.

[@chunkyedwards5381]

My dad was a cabby in Leeds in the 60's and 70's it had the best police force money could buy.

[@markallen4000]

Not sure about that. They didn't handled the ripper investigation very well

[@chunkyedwards5381]

@@markallen4000 My point being is that they were corrupt but you obviously missed that.

[@eileenboles8645]

@@chunkyedwards5381 thought thats u meant. Must ve seen /heard quite a bit.

[@frankyw8803]

A mate of mine was his paperboy ...and told me Saville used to cruise Leeds parks in his roller .

[@densalbeach1]

Imagine the power the BBC and the media had over young pop stars back then and even now. A young band just making it to the dream, in what world would they rock the boat and have their career destroyed? The true guilt lies with the people who knew about it and covered it up and maybe even enabled the likes of Savile and Glitter to feed their sick way of life.

[@martin.baldock9719]

Rossi knew about it and covered it up, he is equally to blame.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

Rossi is as Guilty AS SIN....YOU would have to be Beyond Naieve Not to see it . .. .. . the rumors are TRUE. . . . .. !!!!!!

[@jockmctodger]

@@krishnan-resurrection714 Proof??

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

@@jockmctodger where is proof of savile ????? 😁

[@jockmctodger]

@@krishnan-resurrection714 There is plenty of evidence against your mate Saville, give your head a wobble boy.

[@sextonblake4258]

Senior BBC Management were less accountable than a 17 year old new kid. Get real Sackur.

[@TheLastOilMan]

I love it when the criminal BBC try to lay off the blame for their disgusting crimes

[@gweilospur5877]

When were they laying off blame? They just asked a question.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

the bbc = vermin

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

Isn't it Savile who did the horrible crimes? The BBC may have covered them up, but that wasn't half as bad as what he did.

[@abd4175]

They were young and naive themselves...they may have had a creepy feeling about savile like all of us, but we can't blame them for not picking up on exactly what was going on. He was protected for years after this by people who knew full well what he was doing...

[@vgamby5230]

A black cab driver who worked at the bbc as an occasional chauffeur, (this was like 1993/1994, ) took me home when I was working in London, and the company I worked for laid on cabs for employees who worked late at night, this cab driver took me home to Brentford, and he told me, that he had later that day, driven Bob Geldoff, and he was mighty pissed off because he was in a battle with Paula Yates over taking there kids to Australia, to visit Michael Hutchins but at the time, he had Gary Glitter staying with him, and Gary was best friends with Jimmy Saville, and Bob Geldoff was very cross and angry, because Paula took his kids to Australia without checking with him first…. That’s the god honest truth, and I’ll never forget it… So yeah, they all knew basically!

[@happydayssunny7830]

The BBC did !! And it still goes on !!

[@cloudboy7750]

Congratulations to everyone at the BBC for speaking out about Saville after his death (sarcasm)

[@garyhawkins118]

Shit bags.

[@theculturedthug6609]

They still praised him after his death it wasn't until he was exposed on the itv show.

[@lee4171]

You serious? No fucker spoke out while it was actually going on though!

[@carolanngeraghty3649]

Bollocks! Speaking out after his death ! That crucial time for all those years could have prevented the traumas for all them young people!

[@cloudboy7750]

@@carolanngeraghty3649 I'm sorry, but I was being sarcastic. I share your feelings.

[@Jez2008UK]

And what about the Rolling Stones bass player, wasn't he with Mandy Smith, aged 13 ??

[@FromaTwistedMind]

Yep! Bill Wyman was also a guest on Jimmy Saviles This is Your Life.... FFS. Go figure.

[@moshman33]

Yeah he was the dirty nonce.

[@omarspost]

Other celebs and staff of the time refer to a group of them. Saville was only 1, but nobody seems to want to mention the others. There's no way this was a one man show. It takes a group to cover each others back and levy power in order to stop the truth being published. There's reports of the BBC threatening legal action on newspapers if they ran saville pedo articles. You'll even find TV hosts cracking saville pedo jokes in the 80s & 90s.

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

@@omarspost Gary Glitter was probably one of the group.

[@williamrae9954]

What about the Rolling Stones,listen to 'Cat Scratch Blues'....was that written about an experience(s)?

[@daistoke1314]

It was a different world, at 70 I find it hard to remember how different it was

[@alexbowman7582]

Saville was a classic psychopath. He was totally detached from his crimes. Many psychopaths escape justice, at least for a while, because they don’t feel or show guilt.

[@frizzell4321]

Probably means they could easily pass a lie-detector test?

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

Correct...and a very dangerous one.

[@daithiocinnsealach1982]

1 billion animals and 50 million unborn humans are slaughtered in horrific conditions to satisfy 8 billion psychotic humans.

[@Wally-H]

Having watched the Louix Theroux programme a couple of times, it would certainly appear the only person Saville ever really cared about was his mother, with whom he had a rather sinister relationship (was it sexual? Possibly). Keeping her flat as it always was, with the old clothes in it, was very telling.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

FRANCIS ROSSI= PSYCHOPATH

[@j0hnf_uk]

The main problem, back then, was that there was only ever an inkling, (call it, 'gossip',), of what was going on, and, 'guests', on shows like Top Of The Pops, were discouraged from questioning anything they saw, as it was seen as being very unseemly to even make the merest suggestion, through fear of what might happen to them, not only on a professional level, but also a personal level, if they were to be seen to have made any allusion toward things of that nature, especially against the hosts of such shows. It was all very hush-hush, behind closed doors, best not go there, territory. An unwritten rule that you never questioned who was seen to be your, 'betters.' Savile, at the time, was the BBC's, 'golden boy', of the airwaves, so they conveniently looked the other way and pretended none of it was going on. Something Savile used to his advantage.

[@Rob-fx2dw]

Informative and appropriate response from Fancis Rrossi about the situation and what could be the risks associated with what is even now present.

[@awalk5177]

Francis is correct. Situations when you are in your youth look different to when you are much older. The different worlds are the phases of life where we, in our developing years, are still learning what is acceptable from some adults who are not behaving properly. I don't think times will have changed very much and there will still be older creeps who are predators on the younger generation. At the time when Status Quo were first famous they would still be trying to comprehend at 16 and 17 years old, what the management in show business were capable of doing. Look how many young rock bands have been ripped off by their management as another example. It still goes on.

[@steffanhoffmann]

An admirable analysis

[@thursoberwick1948]

Tam Paton with the Bay City Rollers.

[@steffanhoffmann]

@@thursoberwick1948 No more needs to be said 👍

[@thursoberwick1948]

@@steffanhoffmann I live a mile or two from where that man used to live. 😳 Let's say he's a local legend and not a good one.

[@steffanhoffmann]

@@thursoberwick1948 Thanks for your reply. I saw a documentary many years ago, where Les Mckeown went and asked where his money had gone. He was polite at all times but during the period up to the meeting; he was so mad. Who can blame him. Tam was most apologetic but Les said openly he didn't believe his excuses. I'm no brexiteer by the way. I'm from Kensington and Chelsea in London. Dad from Berlin and mother from France. I left after brexit, a stupid little englander decision. However I'm grateful for my British education. I don't live in UK 🇬🇧 anymore I'm in a better climate. I play 🎾 with my friends from Western Europe and Scandinavia. Sit outside cafes with them, discussing politics, sport bla de bla. They all speak English, most do in that part of the world; for decades. I cycle everywhere, on a fantastic boulevard, beachfrontage infrastructure. I was a British English language consultant in Kyiv one year; and Odessa three. In Ukraine. I left ten months before vladolf putler invaded (a hunch) My mother was from Britanny by the way 😂 🇫🇷 My dad from Berlin....me...I'm from Kensington and Chelsea in London originally; but no English in my ancestry; as I researched it 😂 Live in Alanya region 🇹🇷, of the beautiful Med Sea climate nowadays. 320 sunny days a year; and heavenly for an 'Englishman' 😂 Dec averaged 22c and Jan 21c. About 4 days ☔ each month. Feb/Mar not cold either....a little more in fact 23c. Again 4 days ☔ collectively. April was 25c plus and 4 days ☔ May a little hotter at 29c 1 day rain...Coronation 👑 day. ☺ June no rain and averaged 34c. Today is July 19th 2023 and it's 46c ☀ 🔥 no rain this month. (Aircon controlled means I sleep soundly). Media in 🇬🇧 say 23c is 😂 a "scorcher" I live here because of Brexit. (Another hunch 😂 ) Prices very low for us....cigarettes £1.25 single pack of 20. (I don't smoke, it's a good gauge for prices though) My monthly rent overlooking the Med Sea is 350 euros. My electric and water bill last month, combined was £14.11p. That's like late 1960s UK prices. 🤔 (Gas heating unnecessary) You can work out the cost of everything else; just based on what I've written. But it's about two thirds less, of what I'd pay in UK; and Europe. British tourists recently told me that. Fresh produce is the norm, at incredibly low prices, at farmers bazaars. I'm 5 mins walk from here 👍 All year round it's pretty much the same. This video about Nov 2022. My dad worked on the Ford Ghia all models. A German engineer. We lived in Tampa Bay for three years, when I was a junior, before being transferred back to London. Best wishes 👍 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoeQlHp3oZuVrq8

[@Lizzard-t]

A sad tale to tell but my sister and brother met Jimmy saville in 1973 at the BBC when they were invited there by one of my dad's friends who was a producer there . MR saville took a really ，shall we say " unhealthy" interest in my sister. But of course him being who he was back then , and her being young she was happy with the attention.she unfortunately committed suicide. Francis Rossi, should not feel guilty with anything that took place, yes he was only young but he knew it wasn't right.

[@swanvictor887]

christ, that's awful. condolences.

[@markanderson1085]

Francis alludes to the fact that Saville was protected, the interveiwer does not follow that up , he pushes onto culture, given Saviles had the UKs highest security clearance, Buckingham Palace and multiple Christmases at Chequers with Thatcher, his association with Moutbatten and the Kincora boys home, it seems most likely that Saville was an MI5 Intelligence asset, go do the research

[@eileenboles8645]

Sorry to hear that. Too much of a coincidence?

[@neilvirgo426]

Typical BBC interviewer - he has an agenda and wants to pin something on Rossi and make him look responsible. Maybe he should look at his employers. They are so arrogant - this is why I won't pay them a penny anymore - as for Rossi - just had him on...amazing band.

[@Isleofskye]

My first meeting with Mike ( as he was then ) Rossi was seeing his 1-year-old son in a cubicle in the Gents Loo on the floor at The Croydon Greyhound music venue circa 1971/72. We were looking for the Father ! That same boy went onto to have a First Class Private Education....Rock 'N Roll !

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

😄

[@Isleofskye]

True Story Krishnan and we saw them there 5 times in 1972 "paying their dues" after their teenybop years. On one occasion they did 5 encores, the last of which was a 7 song medley,. Good value for £1,......:)

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

@@Isleofskye ..cant say ive ever been a fan ... 😉😁

[@paultrewin5871]

I seem to remember they shared a bill there with Barclays James Harvest, no?

[@johnwaller4033]

The BBC needs to be hold accountable

[@Keepingitrespectfulmostly.]

Rossi (as it says) is the front man for Status Quo... just because he appeared on a tv programme that Savile hosted occasionally does not make Rossi responsible for any of Savile's actions on or off screen.... The BBC elite were the enabler (s) for Savile.. end of.. I had the displeasure of meeting Savile when he visited my local hospital when I was on a ward, late 90s.. He only looked at me and said "hello professor" but he made my skin crawl... but I do have an acute working and very accurate 6th sense.. We all have this and we can choose to get in touch with it or not but it doesn't happen overnight, to get it working well.

[@mariahoulihan9483]

yes.. my friend's father, back years ago, frequented leeds nightlife when he was a young man. he said Saville made his skin crawl then and he would have nothing to do with him. He was a teenager, my friend's dad and he knew he was a sleaze around young girls way back then as did a lot of his mates.. they warned girls off being alone with Saville.

[@sarabrittlegill4327]

He always made my skin crawl even as a youngster

[@MrMick560]

I worked in the Wimpy bar in Scarborough when I was a teenager and he used to come in often with groups of very young girls, I could never work him out and always thought there was something very strange about him.

[@robertjohnredrupp2405]

It's interesting that BBC also had 'Thats Life' on back in the day and that programme was very instrumental in launching 'Childs Line' They were all working for the BBC , surely someone on that programme must have had an inkling about Savile ?

[@chrisstephens6673]

Just a thought but maybe a way of easing their guilt?

[@geordie114]

Robert John Redrupp , Totally agree with you, Listen to the story pedaling from the "holier than thou" Dragons mouth herself, deflecting questions at her by blaming everyone else ( Including the VIEWERS !! ). Spewing out her Mantra Instead, Loathsome creature. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4WYq2Z5bbpjnbs

[@gilgameshofuruk4060]

@@geordie114 Esther Rancid was on a TV show once where they were discussing whether it was appropriate for ballet teachers to touch students. They had a male ballet instructor on to show how they put a student into the ballet poses. Straight away Rancid said "Well, I wouldn't trust _him_ around children." She'd only just met the man and knew nothing about him. Yet she was happy to make a comment like that about him while knowing all about Savile. It's all gone quiet about what she knew. Maybe she's protected by the same low life's that he associated with and who "encouraged" others to keep quiet.

[@gilgameshofuruk4060]

@@chrisstephens6673 smokescreen?

[@chrisstephens6673]

@@gilgameshofuruk4060 ester rancid is a professional outrage at everything that can be misinterpreted. She would probably throw a wobbly if you put the milk in her tea the wrong (to her) order. She would see wrong everywhere and made a big thing about it on her shows, even if it was completely innocent. Or am i just thinking of someone doing a spoof of her on something like spitting image?

[@Louiseskybunker]

Lovely refreshing Mr Rossi.

[@johnlawrence2757]

What hasn’t changed and never will change is that kids will do anything at all if they think it’s going to help them get into show biz. And as Rossi points out their parents and particularly their mothers will help them or even push them into doing whatever it is that is perceived to be of use in that respect.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

NOT all mothers. Some Mums have sense and foresight, no matter how infuriating that may prove to/for their offspring.

[@jacquelineloaring2438]

@@suzyqualcast6269 Of course not all MOTHERS most of us would be horrified, I can’t get why, anyone would want to be near him, he was one hell of a creepy person,

[@pault8470]

When I first came across saville I was 17 😬😬😬 oh dear !!

[@raptus9115]

All hard talking now, deathly silence during the moment, everybody who didn't speak up and didn't take action are cowards.

[@NunyaDammeBiznis]

Being an American, I didn't know anything about Jimmy Saville. The first time I saw him, I thought he looked creepy. His hairstyle was the first thing. My spidey senses went haywire.

[@YesOkayButWhy]

You knew yet willingly declined to go public. You're just as guilty as he is and I hope you can sleep at night. But I'd be very surprised.

[@NunyaDammeBiznis]

@@YesOkayButWhy it was after the fact, LOL

[@Zubareffstream111]

​@YesOKbutwhy I've read some really dumb comments on here, but so far, yours is the most pathetic.

[@canids]

It's not a different world. You were a teenager. You were young. Its when you get older your mindset changes.

[@gweilospur5877]

No, it was a different world. Pop and rock stars were having sex with underage fans all the time in those days and nobody thought anything about it.

[@canids]

@@gweilospur5877 open your eyes. They still a are

[@gweilospur5877]

@@canids What about the rest of my statement “ and nobody thought anything about it”? Open YOUR eyes.

[@andyc1909]

I don't like how the BBC has completely removed him from everything as if he and what he did never happened. As a public broadcaster his and their covering up should be kept alive as an education to young men and women. His and the BBC's actions should serve as a reminder how not to be and not brushed under the carpet.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

yes i agree ...some of the Best TV shows have been lost as a result of this . . .and look at the garbage They try and replace it with ... the bbc is a dreadful corrupt organisation and it should be completely annihilated in every regard !!!!

[@mikeakachorlton]

Some of the commenters here miss Rossi's point. Show business has ALWAYS been full of predators whether it be financial, sexual or about power, just search Monroe's comment when she got the 20th Century Fox deal in 1955. To expect a young band to lead a moral crusade in the late 60s/ 70s against what was rumour is highly unrealistic: they'd lose their careers in an instant. This was the norm back then and right through to the Me Too movement recently and saying it shouldn't have happened is pointless because of course it shouldn't. But it is also unfair to point at other subjects of the system and say 'They knew and did nothing' because they heard a few rumours.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

Why shouldn't it have happened? Women are far too protected in society. Male bodies are exploited in every way imaginable. But it's now taboo for female bodies to be likewise.

[@grahamblack1961]

He's not giving a lot away with his words, but his body language is saying it all. All the classic signs of being evasive are there, he really does not want to talk about this. Saying that he was only about 17 or 18 himself, yeah but he didn't stay that age over the 15 or 20 years he was a regular on TOTP.

[@voice.of.reason]

I'm not surprised he didn't want to talk about it when people on the internet make stupid accusations reading into too much. Putting 2 and 2 together to make 69. The people to blame here were the BBC, but now they act all high and mighty like in this interview trying pin their failings on other stars like Rossi

[@meerkatandpug]

That interviewer is a right dodgy bugger.

[@meerkatandpug]

OAKLEY MARS Better to hang paedophiles I reckon. Does that mean YOU?

[@meerkatandpug]

OAKLEY MARS You'll need to do better my friend..

[@mikewilliams7781]

+John Smith You're such a moron you throw unsubstantiated allegations around. You're assuming one of two things (1) KZbin anonymity will protect you or (2) these people have better things to do than sue prats like you. (1) is definitely false. You better hope that (2) is true because you could find yourself in a hell of a lot of trouble. You wouldn't be the first to be sued for Internet comments. By the way, calling you a "moron" isn't actionable. It's self-evidently true.

[@meerkatandpug]

Mike Williams Come on then..stupid fuck.

[@meerkatandpug]

Louis Van gaal Savile was innocent.

[@claire9547]

There were stories around Leeds about him. In the 70s and 80s the Leeds Police had their own “ mafia” reputation going on as well.

[@bazmac26]

The entire culture was worlds apart from that which exists today. Back then it was quite common for people to know of the ‘dodgy’ family member or friend you kept your children away from. The somebody you didn’t trust or suspected of being ‘unsafe’ around young people. The main difference between then and now, is people are more outspoken these days, less inclined to ‘sweep things under the carpet’ or simply tolerate suspicious behaviour. I’m sure that vulnerable people are still being victimised and abused, but predators are and always have been devious, many hiding in plain sight like Saville and Geoffrey Epstein, knowing full well their wealth and powerful connections would protect them. The establishment has, I’m certain always had a significant number of predators in it, more than ready to close ranks. Royals in particular, politicians and the wealthy using their influence to carry out appalling crimes against young and vulnerable people. Tragically until survivors have the courage to speak out we seldom see these disgusting predators brought to justice or at least exposed for the vile creatures they truly are.

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

A man talking sense. His final points about kids just wanting to be famous. Fat cats really making fortunes out of their puppets.

[@martin.baldock9719]

Gone to the media and they would have been far ore famous. Did not have the morals to do that. If he was that obsessed about fame and fortune he could have done it anonymously. THat being said, expose child abuse and their popularity would have been higher.

[@vanessawood-hopps6298]

The BBC made and enabled Saville

[@pootlingalong8928]

It was a different time. As a young woman working in offices in the late 70s / early 80s, I can assure you that fending off pats on the bum and suggestive comments was all part of a normal working day. I was lucky enough to possess the grit to tell a bloke to F off, not all girls were as confident.

[@christinalaw6367]

He really beat around the beach with the questions.

[@branthomas1621]

I think you mean around the bush.

[@thomasskeffington4539]

The interviewer knew the answer to the question. He’s just playing to see how far he can go.

[@hughjass2745]

He works for the bbc. He's implicit in the coverup.

[@jamesthecat]

Shocking that he told him that in confidence then immediately used it to say 'you must have known'!

[@eachwaythief6132]

Rossi knows the full story.

[@stephensimpson4022]

A lot of honesty there from Rossi, instead of the usual “ I didn’t know what was going on bullshit”

[@candythomson844]

You wanna play the blame game look at Esther ranson why does a legend like Frances Rossi want to waste his breath on a beast like saville

[@jonathaneffemey4892]

Thanks for posting.

[@ivorbiggen6470]

Why are they asking musicians on saville You should be asking the people who were running the bbc and allowed it to happen for decades

[@Alf-Garnish]

What a nerve asking a musician about saville. They should be asking the BBC staff. Maybe they're asking now to deflect from there own guilt at covering it up.

[@espoton]

He's basically saying, we new how come you didn't.

[@Sam-ch9mn]

The BBC have a nerve trying to show that people like Rossi ‘must have known’ about Savile when the broadcaster invented cancel culture by shutting down John Lydon for speaking out about him.

[@rebeccaryan3621]

what did John say I am trying to find evidence of what he said but i can't find anything

[@braxfan683]

I would have revealed Jimmy savile live on air! 🎤

[@ShopFloorMonkey]

He's spot on about the 'behind the curtain' stuff. It is indeed ordinary and mundane, and yes sometimes pretty fucking grim. It's really no all showbiz parties and hedonism for the VAST majority of performers etc.

[@joncrownshaw2175]

Top bloke, honest interview, integrity!

[@peterhuitema5424]

Love your cynicism

[@peterfuller9429]

During the 1970s one of Britain's biggest music groups would instruct their roadies that they wanted, let's say, blond girls in tonight. Along the corridor girls of 14, 15, 16 years were lined up outside the group's dressing room, and the blond ones would be let in. These girls willingly threw themselves at their 'idols'. They had ever seen drugs or every type of alcohol before. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. The BBC and ITV executives knew all about this. Theatre owners and promoters knew all about this. Jimmy Saville was part of this pop scene.

[@JOHNMcVICAR-jh5bp]

WELL SAID FRANCIS ROSSI VERY HONEST INTERVIEW 🎸🎸🎸

[@nomdeplume798]

Unless you watched and listened to Saville at the time, it's easy to criticise the lack of action against him by the BBC. He was a demi-god. His fame in broadcasting and his charity work, including at GOSH rendered him virtually untouchable. Anyone trying to take him down would have faced ridicule and professional suicide. And yet, at about the same time, one of our local kids' football teams was run by a reserve goalkeeper from the nearby 4th Division team. There were the usual jokes about not bending down in the showers and keeping your back to the wall, but l never took them seriously as I didn't play for that team. It was only a few years ago when speaking to an old friend that I found out there was some truth to the jokes. As far as I know there was no action taken against him.

[@LisaMaryification]

The idea that one would be ruining one's career if they came forward would only be true if nobody else joined the crusade against him. Sadly, everyone was looking to someone else bigger than them to save the children. Is the price of fame knowing that children are being abused?

[@steffanhoffmann]

​@@LisaMaryification Sadly probably yes.

[@mr_bassman6685]

At the same time, you need solid evidence for an accusation like this and he had a lot of connections, so even if this had come out in his lifetime, I wouldn’t be surprised if the case would have been thrown out and he’d get off scot-free.

[@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361]

Rossy raped at least one girl in 1976 . . .probably more . . ..

[@chazwyman]

Many people I know, including myself allways thought he was a wrongen. Eveything about his demeanous was creepy.

[@MonoLith2049]

Classic gaslighting from the BBC in action

[@MrLtia1234]

How is this gaslighting? It's hard to understand what it must have been like to have been there and not felt able to do anything.

[@xpat73]

The fact is that this is probably a bit tricky for a 1970s rock star. It's well documented that many of them had dalliances with underage groupies.....Iggy Pop, Jagger, Bowie, Wyman, Jimmy Page etc.......

[@swanvictor887]

Common denominator: they were Young Men (full of hormones). RICH. Successful. Bored (touring is tedious, not glamorous). What is the ONE thing on every young man's mind, more or less constantly thanks to Testosterone...?

[@mark.e.p]

This was common place in the 60's & 70's l saw it at boarding school. But the institutions protect them.

[@Bakoska]

it is sick, that they all knew... why they were all silent??? WHY???

[@stuartbeard966]

I was a child in the 70's, it was a different world. The road outside the comprehensive school would be lined with car's and van's of men picking up their 13 and 14 yr old girlfriend's. No one batted an eyelid. Children were seen as young people rather than parents property who made their own choices. You cannot compare the attitudes of the 70's and 80's with today, you may as well compare today with Victorian time's.

[@donnak6708]

So true I was born in 1973 even in my early teens in the 80s school friends had boyfriends in their late teens even 20s, at the time we thought nothing of it.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

It sounds like a great time.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

Pedophiles are attracted to pre-pubescent children. Being attracted to pubescent girls is 100% normal. It's biology, that's literally the function of puberty.@@user-ky6yu9xl4z

[@grimupnorth]

There's nothing like a concise question, like the one which starts around 2:15 !!!!

[@MattShepley]

"we now know" - you knew then.

[@BionicRasta]

Like Status Quo didnt have young groupies? it was all part of pop culture. Saville as a middle aged man capitalised on his status first as a pop presenter then as a philanthropist to get access to kids & used his connections to cover it up. He would have had dirt on influential people too.

[@valgraham5844]

The abuse of women was rife at the time. I worked at the Radio Times and watched it happen around me. The more famous, the worse the abuse. It happened in other work places as well. Finally, I had to go self employed. Sadly, it happened in my marriage, but I had previous experience of violence and made my escape pretty smartly! As for J.S. he was extremely odd. Just talking to him put me right off. No way would I go solo, or anywhere near him by myself.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

"Abuse". 🤣 You mean hoes trading their sexuality in exchange for a taste of fame and fortune?

[@Biigfish559]

I think Micky Flanagan's mom hit the nail on the head : "He's gotta be a nonce wiv that barnet!"

[@boucher63]

did Stephen know, he has worked at the BBC for years!

[@kellyfinch5257]

Finding you out Rossi boy , you seem nervous

[@MrMrh1958]

John Lydon sussed him out! The BBC have a lot to answer for!🤨

[@liamwhitcombe1237]

Did Rossi come out of retirement AGAIN to do this interview?

[@avanti6058]

The thing with the interviewer is that if he really wants to figure out how no one saw what Saville was doing he could ask more powerful people who actually protected him and knew what he was doing, it seems to me that asking someone who came on his show a few times when he was in his 20's is not a good start. There are lukewarm guys out there who want to make a career or look good in the public eye by pretending to be involved in something when they really aren't. Surely most of the people who work around Savile knew he was a guy who went off the rails but the people who knew what he really did were the ones who indulged and made things easy for him.

[@Intaberna986]

That's the game, keep talking about Jimmy Saville like he was a one-off, so they can divert the attention of the general public away from the BBC and a political system that was enabling him and many others.