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| Jim'll Fix It staff were told not to leave Savile alone with children | Jim'll Fix It staff were told not to leave Savile alone with children |
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| The producer of Jimmy Savile’s BBC show Jim’ll Fix It has said he warned staff not to leave the presenter alone with children, some of whom were frightened by him when they took part in the show. | The producer of Jimmy Savile’s BBC show Jim’ll Fix It has said he warned staff not to leave the presenter alone with children, some of whom were frightened by him when they took part in the show. |
| But Roger Ordish, who produced the show for its entire 19-year run, said his warning would have applied to any presenter because all children at the BBC had to be chaperoned, and that he did not have specific concerns that Savile was a paedophile. | But Roger Ordish, who produced the show for its entire 19-year run, said his warning would have applied to any presenter because all children at the BBC had to be chaperoned, and that he did not have specific concerns that Savile was a paedophile. |
| His comments came as the former BBC DJ Tony Blackburn said he was offered the chance to resign before he was sacked by the corporation, which concluded he had not fully cooperated with the extensive inquiry into Savile’s sexual abuse at the BBC. | |
| Ordish gave evidence to Dame Janet Smith’s inquiry, which found the BBC missed opportunities to stop Savile molesting boys and girls, and identified 72 victims, eight of whom were raped. | Ordish gave evidence to Dame Janet Smith’s inquiry, which found the BBC missed opportunities to stop Savile molesting boys and girls, and identified 72 victims, eight of whom were raped. |
| The report said the inquiry was satisfied Ordish had not been aware of criminal conduct, but the producer told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he had instructed staff that Savile was not to be left alone with children. | The report said the inquiry was satisfied Ordish had not been aware of criminal conduct, but the producer told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he had instructed staff that Savile was not to be left alone with children. |
| “I remember saying he should not be left alone with children, but that would apply to any presenter because the rules were a young person should always be chaperoned,” he said. “It wasn’t for fear he was going to do something awful to the child but I did think his presence was unnerving for some children. I think yes, frightening. | “I remember saying he should not be left alone with children, but that would apply to any presenter because the rules were a young person should always be chaperoned,” he said. “It wasn’t for fear he was going to do something awful to the child but I did think his presence was unnerving for some children. I think yes, frightening. |
| “[He was] creepy, yes, but it never crossed my mind there was any kind of paedophilia going on. If someone had come to me and said a specific thing had happened, a complaint about Jimmy Savile’s behaviour, I would have immediately done something about it.” | “[He was] creepy, yes, but it never crossed my mind there was any kind of paedophilia going on. If someone had come to me and said a specific thing had happened, a complaint about Jimmy Savile’s behaviour, I would have immediately done something about it.” |
| Ordish said he had invited the presenter to stay at his home, and Savile had slept in the room next to his 14-year-old daughter’s bedroom. “That is not the act of someone turning a blind eye,” he said. | Ordish said he had invited the presenter to stay at his home, and Savile had slept in the room next to his 14-year-old daughter’s bedroom. “That is not the act of someone turning a blind eye,” he said. |
| Ordish described the presenter, who died in 2011, as an enigma who built barriers around himself. “I knew him probably as well as anybody did but that wasn’t very well, because he was such a secretive man,” he said. | Ordish described the presenter, who died in 2011, as an enigma who built barriers around himself. “I knew him probably as well as anybody did but that wasn’t very well, because he was such a secretive man,” he said. |
| “He spent his whole life hiding things and rather enjoying hiding them probably. But that’s hindsight. I always found his behaviour rather odd, but you’re not thinking about it, you’re not saying: ‘Is Jimmy Savile a drug smuggler? Is Jimmy Savile a paedophile?’ You’re just thinking: ‘That’s Jimmy Savile.’” | “He spent his whole life hiding things and rather enjoying hiding them probably. But that’s hindsight. I always found his behaviour rather odd, but you’re not thinking about it, you’re not saying: ‘Is Jimmy Savile a drug smuggler? Is Jimmy Savile a paedophile?’ You’re just thinking: ‘That’s Jimmy Savile.’” |
| Ordish said when the idea of Jim’ll Fix It was floated at the BBC, he had met his boss, Bill Cotton, and said he thought the corporation should find a different presenter. | Ordish said when the idea of Jim’ll Fix It was floated at the BBC, he had met his boss, Bill Cotton, and said he thought the corporation should find a different presenter. |
| “That was nothing to do with Jimmy Savile’s moral behaviour, it had to do with his ability to communicate with young people,” he said. “He did openly say: ‘I hate children.’” | “That was nothing to do with Jimmy Savile’s moral behaviour, it had to do with his ability to communicate with young people,” he said. “He did openly say: ‘I hate children.’” |
| The producer said he could no longer speak about his career at the BBC without a sense of shame. “It’s of no significance really compared to the terrible things that happened to the victims, but in retirement, people say: ‘What did you do?’. | The producer said he could no longer speak about his career at the BBC without a sense of shame. “It’s of no significance really compared to the terrible things that happened to the victims, but in retirement, people say: ‘What did you do?’. |
| “I’d say: ‘I was a BBC producer … Jim’ll Fix It, I did that for 20 years’, and you used to get a wonderful reaction. Now it’s something I can’t mention, you’re ashamed of it.” | “I’d say: ‘I was a BBC producer … Jim’ll Fix It, I did that for 20 years’, and you used to get a wonderful reaction. Now it’s something I can’t mention, you’re ashamed of it.” |
| Related: Tony Blackburn and BBC embroiled in row after Savile review published | |
| In her 372,400-word report published on Thursday, Smith found that although the criminal behaviour was largely the fault of the perpetrators, the broadcaster could have stopped it but failed to do so. | In her 372,400-word report published on Thursday, Smith found that although the criminal behaviour was largely the fault of the perpetrators, the broadcaster could have stopped it but failed to do so. |
| However, the report concludes there is no evidence that the BBC as a corporate body was aware of Savile’s conduct and therefore could not be convicted of any offence. | However, the report concludes there is no evidence that the BBC as a corporate body was aware of Savile’s conduct and therefore could not be convicted of any offence. |
| Blackburn, a former Radio 2 DJ, claimed after the inquiry was published that he was offered the chance to resign from the BBC and return to work a few months later. Smith found that Blackburn had been questioned by the BBC in 1971 about a complaint made by a teenage girl, who later killed herself. The DJ insists he was never questioned and denies any wrongdoing. | Blackburn, a former Radio 2 DJ, claimed after the inquiry was published that he was offered the chance to resign from the BBC and return to work a few months later. Smith found that Blackburn had been questioned by the BBC in 1971 about a complaint made by a teenage girl, who later killed herself. The DJ insists he was never questioned and denies any wrongdoing. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4 in an interview set to be broadcast on Sunday, Blackburn claims he was told: “You don’t cut off all ties, and we can probably bring you back in a few months”. | Speaking to BBC Radio 4 in an interview set to be broadcast on Sunday, Blackburn claims he was told: “You don’t cut off all ties, and we can probably bring you back in a few months”. |
| “I said no, I wouldn’t do that, because I’ve got nothing to hide.” | “I said no, I wouldn’t do that, because I’ve got nothing to hide.” |
| Blackburn, who has said he will sue the BBC over his dismissal, told the Daily Mail he would return to his job at the BBC “without any hard feelings” if the director general, Tony Hall, apologised and offered him his job back. | Blackburn, who has said he will sue the BBC over his dismissal, told the Daily Mail he would return to his job at the BBC “without any hard feelings” if the director general, Tony Hall, apologised and offered him his job back. |
| “I’d shake the director general’s hand and say: ‘If the whole thing’s been a mistake, let’s say no more about it.’” | “I’d shake the director general’s hand and say: ‘If the whole thing’s been a mistake, let’s say no more about it.’” |