A girl who was groped by Jimmy Savile on Top Of The Pops fears Steve Coogan will “struggle” to painting the “monster” in an upcoming BBC drama, amid requires the collection to be axed.

Sylvia Edwards was 18 years outdated when she was assaulted on digicam throughout a recording of the music present, however her grievance concerning the presenter’s behaviour was dismissed by a crew member who stated it was “just Jimmy Savile”.

Footage from the programme in 1976 reveals the incident as she struggles to get away from Savile, who says to the digicam: “A fella could get used to all this.”

Ms Edwards informed Sky News she had spoken about her ordeal to the makers of mini-series The Reckoning, which can function Coogan because the serial abuser later this yr.

Coogan has defended the drama following criticism of its potential influence on Savile’s victims, with the BBC additionally dealing with claims of hypocrisy for broadcasting the programme regardless of its position within the scandal.

An inquiry in 2016 discovered Savile abused 72 folks related together with his BBC work, together with eight rapes – with one sufferer simply 10 years outdated.

A former Operation Yewtree detective questioned the aim of the present and informed Sky News he desires the BBC to desert plans to air the drama, saying it’s “disrespectful” to Savile’s victims.

While Ms Edwards has given her backing to the programme, she fears Coogan – most well-known for his comedy character Alan Partridge – could wrestle to painting Savile’s “sinister side” after branding the Jim’ll Fix It presenter “the most disgusting human being who was ever put on this earth”.

She informed Sky News: “I’m hoping (Coogan) portrays it well to make people realise how much of a monster that man was.

“(Coogan) can act the fool like Jimmy Savile was, however the sinister aspect I believe perhaps he may wrestle.

“Jimmy Savile has been destroyed anyway… he’s going to be remembered as a paedophile forever.

“I hope (Coogan) performs it nicely… I hope he performs it so that individuals can really see how despicable Savile was.”

‘This soiled outdated man is touching me’

Describing her ordeal on Top Of The Pops, Ms Edwards stated Savile’s hand was “like a solid rock” as he touched her and she or he couldn’t escape as a result of she was surrounded by viewers members.

“I just thought he was disgusting,” she stated.

“His hand was like a solid rock. I could not move it.

“I used to be shocked and embarrassed as a result of I could not do something about it.

“If he did it to me now, if he was alive, I probably would have smacked him one.

“But while you’re younger… I used to be getting embarrassed as a result of the digicam was so close to, and I’m considering: ‘God, everybody can see’.

“So much goes through your head at the time. And you just think: ‘This dirty old man is touching me and I can’t move.’

“There had been folks simply chock-a-block so I could not get wherever in any respect. I hated it.

“Even now, I still don’t like anyone being too near me behind.”

Ms Edwards, who had attended Top Of The Pops with a buddy, stated she reported Savile’s assault to a crew member however “he basically told me to get lost”.

“He went: ‘Go away, that’s just Jimmy Savile’,” Ms Edwards added.

Now aged 64, the mother-of-two, from Twickenham, southwest London, stated she was “glad in a way” that the drama about Savile was being made as a result of she hopes it should encourage victims who have not come ahead to talk out.

She added: “It’s not going to do (any) good, the man’s dead and he should rot in hell for all I care.

“But I hope folks come ahead… It would not matter if they seem to be a celeb, no matter – come ahead and inform any person.

“Nobody is above the law. Nobody.”

Ex-detective requires BBC to axe Savile drama

Former Operation Yewtree detective Gary Pankhurst has known as for the BBC to scrap plans to air The Reckoning after claiming it’s “exploitive” and “damaging” to Savile’s victims.

The collection is because of air on BBC One later this yr, with October marking 10 years because the launch of Operation Yewtree, the investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by Savile and others.

Mr Yewtree, a former detective sergeant on the Metropolitan Police, informed Sky News he was “hugely concerned” concerning the influence of the present on survivors and questioned the aim of making a drama about Savile’s abuse.

He stated: “To me, it strikes as being entirely tone deaf.

“It would not matter how fastidiously a drama is made, it stays a drama.

“Ultimately there is no need for it.

“This story isn’t the BBC’s story to inform. They don’t have any proper to try this.

“I think it’s disrespectful apart from anything else.”

Mr Pankhurst, who labored on Operation Yewtree from 2012 to 2015, stated he had not been approached by the makers of The Reckoning however he would have declined any involvement within the programme.

He added: “I can’t see it’s anything other than exploitive and damaging to people who were affected by this.

“This is not one thing from the dim and distant previous. It’s comparatively current.

“I don’t see it can be anything other than sensationalism.”

Mr Pankhurst stated he believed it might be a “sensible decision” for the BBC to axe the drama.

He added: “What positive contribution can it bring to this story?

“The actuality is it should misery lots of people so it is pointless.

“It makes me very uneasy.

“Morally and ethically, the higher place to take could be to only withdraw it.”

Why extra Savile victims might emerge later this yr

Richard Scorer, whose legislation agency represented 168 victims of Savile, criticised the BBC’s involvement within the drama and stated he had spoken to survivors who had “real difficulty” with it.

The head of abuse legislation at Slater & Gordon informed Sky News: “If the Catholic Church were to make and broadcast a documentary about abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church, that would obviously be upsetting to survivors and they wouldn’t feel that’s the appropriate way to address the issues.

“I believe the identical level arises right here.”

However, one other lawyer who represented dozens of Savile’s victims stated he believed extra might emerge later this yr after The Reckoning airs.

Alan Collins, who leads the sexual abuse staff at Hugh James solicitors, informed Sky News he knew three victims who had consulted with the drama and had given it their backing.

He added: “The status of celebrity can be misused, as we continue to see – with lots of high-profile cases – so it’s very important that we do remind ourselves otherwise the risk is that lessons are not learnt.”

What has the BBC stated?

A BBC spokesman informed Sky News: “The drama will examine the impact Savile’s appalling crimes had on his victims, the powerlessness many felt when they tried to raise the alarm, and how Savile used his celebrity to hide in plain sight.

“We are working carefully with many individuals whose lives had been impacted by him to make sure their tales are informed with sensitivity and respect.”

Coogan has previously said his decision to play Savile was not one he “took frivolously” and the script tackles “sensitively an horrific story which – nevertheless harrowing – must be informed”.

He also has insisted the BBC is “held accountable” in the series and there is “no whitewash on this drama”.

The script has been written by Neil McKay, whose different credit embrace BBC drama Four Lives about serial killer Stephen Port, which acquired reward for its victim-focused portrayal.