Jimmy Savile was born in Leeds, England, to Vincent Joseph Savile and Agnes Monica Kelly. He was the youngest of seven children in a Roman Catholic family.

During World War II, Savile worked as a Bevin Boy in coal mines, where he suffered serious injuries in a mine explosion. He later became a scrap metal dealer and started playing records in dance halls, claiming to be the first DJ to use two turntables and a microphone.

Savile began his radio career at Radio Luxembourg, presenting six programs a week and reaching six million listeners with his Saturday show.

Savile presented the first edition of the BBC music chart television program "Top of the Pops" and became a regular presenter, co-hosting the final weekly edition in 2006.

Savile presented "Jim'll Fix It", a popular television program where he granted wishes to young viewers, earning him widespread recognition and acclaim.

Savile was awarded an OBE in 1971 and was knighted in 1990 for his charity work, which included volunteering at various medical establishments and raising donations.

Jimmy Savile died on 29 October 2011, two days before his 85th birthday, after being in hospital with pneumonia.

An ITV documentary aired allegations of sexual abuse by Savile, leading to extensive media coverage and a criminal investigation that concluded he was a predatory sex offender, with hundreds of victims coming forward.

The Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police Service released a joint report stating that Savile had sexually assaulted up to 500 people, primarily young girls, on BBC premises and at more than 10 hospitals.

Investigations into Savile's activities at 28 NHS hospitals concluded that he had sexually assaulted staff and patients aged between 5 and 75 over several decades.