Netflix's new Jimmy Savile documentary, A British Horror Story was only released on Wednesday but is already causing a stir amongst viewers, with eyebrows raised over claims that Prince Charles went to the disgraced TV host for help and some people 'unable to watch,' due to its grim and unnerving content.
Savile charmed a nation with his eccentricity and philanthropy. But sexual abuse allegations expose a shocking unseen side of the man who became one of the biggest names on the small screen, thanks to hosting shows like Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It.
Savile is thought to have abused as up to 1,000 victims but, despite some suspicions being raised over the years, the extent of his wicked crimes did not become public knowledge until after his death in 2011. But now, while the dark side of Savile has been laid bare for a decade, the new Netflix documentary has proved to be shocking viewing for those who've watched it so far.
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And one of the most disturbing things to come from A British Horror Story is that Prince Charles once reached out to Savile for help with improving the Royal Family's public image. Letters sent from the future king to the late TV star spanning a number of years are featured in the new Netflix documentary.
One of them, sent in January 1989 reads: “Perhaps I am wrong, but you are the bloke who knows what’s going on. What I really need, is a list of suggestions from you. I so want to get to parts of the country that others don’t get to reach.”
Prince Charles also sought advice from Savile on his sister-in-law Sarah 'Fergie' Ferguson, after her behaviour started gaining unwanted attention, with him writing: He wrote: “I wonder if you would ever be prepared to meet my sister-in-law, the Duchess of York? I can’t help feeling that it would be extremely useful to her if you could. I feel she could do with some of your straight-forward common sense.”
The relationship between The Queen's son and the evil presenter has proved a tough pill to swallow for people who've watched the Netflix show. Taking to Twitter, one wrote: "20 years of letters from Prince Charles to Savile' And he didn't suss out in 20 years that Savile was ,at the very least, an odd bod. Naïve or very poor judge of character?"
A second wrote: "This whole family are full of incredibly appalling decisions on who they keep as close friends." Another reacted: "Prince Charles repeatedly sought Jimmy Savile’s advice, documentary claims What is wrong with this hapless family?"
Other viewers found the whole documentary hard to stomach, with one tweeting: "just watched the Jimmy Savile Doc on Netflix. Unbelievable what he got away with for all those years (f## #ing ) horrendous."
