Rest In Peace...

[GimmeTheSoddingChoc]

That guy was one of my heroes when I was younger. Seriously sad to see him go. RIP, mate!

[wjp666]

just heard. this is so sad.

[oldspice]

Andy Williams has died. Terrific voice, but didn't much care for his politics. However, for the pleasure he gave to millions, RIP Andy.

[oldspice]

And now Herbert Lom has died. I always thought he was rather handsome. Good age though - 95.

[GimmeTheSoddingChoc]

It would have been much better for these people to have spoken out when he was alive - to give him a chance to defend himself.

Oh, I think Uncle Jimmy defence would have been in tatters by now. I always hated the bloke and now this. I'm glad my letter to Jim'll Fix It was thrown in the BBC bin...

[oldspice]

Yes, I think it's probably a well-established fact that Jimmy was a pervert of the worst kind and, it seems, people DID speak out and were ignored.  Shame on those who covered this up!

[wjp666]

if you rummage back through the comments to when he died i said then he always gave me the creeps. this all came as no shock to me.

[smurfboy]

I always had him down as an oddball (particularly the obsession with his dead mother) but I honestly didn't see this coming.

[wjp666]

on the other hand i was a MASSIVE Freddie Starr fan as a kid. if they prove any involvement from him i will be shocked and greatly saddened.

[oldspice]

And what about John Peel? I had a lot of respect for him but now I'm just shocked that he seems to have taken advantage of at least several under age girls.

[wjp666]

just what has been going on at the BBC for all these years?!

[GimmeTheSoddingChoc]

I think we have to draw a line here. On one side are the 'groupies' and on the other are the victims of predatory paedo's/sex attackers. Back in the day there was a massive groupie culture, one that stretches beyond the BBC into the world of music and art. These girls/boys knew exactly what they were doing and what they wanted, and it would be unfair for these girls/boys to suddenly start pointing the finger at John Peel and Tony Blackburn. On the other hand, people like Savile, Jonathan King and Paul Gadd were nasty pieces of work who's lust for power spilled over into the exploitation of minors.

As for Freddie Starr, he's just bonkers and I don't believe for a second that he is part of the 'ring', as it were. He should have been honest from the start, though, about his kinship with Savile.

[wjp666]

...These girls/boys knew exactly what they were doing and what they wanted...

all i can say is WOW - did you REALLY just write that?

[GimmeTheSoddingChoc]

Yes, I really did write that and I know it's a controversial thing to say, but some of these kids were groupies. It was the culture back then. To have intimate relations with a celebrity was seen as a victory (and still is, but not as much). But, and this is the BUT, some of these kids weren't groupies and just wanted an autograph or a momento, and that's where the problems started.

[wjp666]

wow. if you weren't such a blatant troll i might actually be offended and argue against your 'point'. but bless, you're trying your best to cause outrage so full marks for effort. unfortunately it's nothing original and we've all seen it all before. ;-)