PICTURE this. An ABC radio star of the 1960s moves smoothly into television and gains the popularity and longevity of Molly Meldrum, Bert Newton and Daryl Somers put together.
Our hero remains famous for 50 years, doing so much charity work for hospitals and vulnerable children that he is knighted by both the Pope and the Queen.
Then imagine the national embarrassment if, after this man dies, it turns out that he had in fact been a serial sexual abuser all along, using his celebrity status and all that charity work to get access to hundreds of vulnerable people, mostly girls as young as 12.
That is what is happening in Britain now as it becomes evident that Sir Jimmy Savile was the most prolific child sex offender yet uncovered in Britain, and that he did it all while hiding in plain sight as a national celebrity.
In fact, Savile did not just groom his young victims, he "groomed" an entire nation to give him the young sexual fodder he wanted.
"He groomed an entire nation"; that certainly sums up the double life the Jimmy Saville appears to have led most accurately.
And even today, there's more fall-out as the BBC reports:
Former pop star Gary Glitter has been arrested on suspicion of sex offences by police investigating Jimmy Savile abuse claims.Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, has previously been jailed in Vietnam for child sex offences.
He has been taken from his home into custody at a London police station.
Police are investigating allegations that the late TV presenter Savile sexually abused some 300 young people over a 40-year period.
Met Police confirmed that officers from Operation Yewtree had "arrested a man in his 60s in connection with the investigation".
You get the feeling that Glitter's arrest is just the tip of the iceberg, whilst the BBC itself is under scrutiny for shutting down allegations against Savile. There's much, much more to come on this story of a spectacular posthumous fall from grace.
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