'It was among the oddest professional experiences I'd had. The atmosphere was strange, his conduct unsettling'
In 2005, then Manchester Evening News features writer Simon Donohue travelled to Leeds to interview Jimmy Savile in his penthouse apartment to discuss rumours of an appearance on I'm a Celebrity... and a Jim'll Fix It comeback. Following the broadcast of a new BBC drama depicting the life of the disgraced TV star, here Simon looks back on an 'unsettling' encounter he describes as among his 'oddest professional experiences'.
READ MORE: Praise for 'extraordinary' Steve Coogan performance as Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning as viewers say scenes made them feel 'sick'Speculation was rife about who might be heading into the jungle on I'm A Celebrity, including Sir Jimmy Savile. Savile had links to Manchester - he'd lived and worked in the city as a DJ. He was in my book of contacts.
Years later, there was still a lasting affection for him from people of my generation. The Louis Theroux show had aired, so I knew some of what to expect in Leeds. I travelled to Leeds with M.E.N. photographer Chris Gleave, talking through what was a bit of a break from the norm for both of us. I will have done my research, poring through the cuttings from the M.E.N.'s extensive archive for clues about relevant talking points, including his life living in Salford and work as a DJ at the Plaza in Manchester, where he'd helped pioneer playing records for people - one of the first ever DJs.
The designer furniture had a faded demeanour similar to that of Savile himself, who looked somewhat dishevelled in a Nike shell suit, open to the waist, gold chains hung around his neck. He provided the tour, showing off his 'Fix It' memorabilia, a Jimmy Savile coaster, a faded fanzine with a 'Jimmy-meets-Elvis' cover shot, papal medals.
We talked about I'm a Celebrity and Jim'll Fix It. I tried to get enough detail to paint a picture of his later life, waiting for the phone to ring.
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