The moment BBC stopped 70s punk rocker John Lydon from outing Jimmy Savile in 1978

A video has resurfaced online of Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon claiming he was banned from the BBC for comments he made about Jimmy Savile in 1978. 

Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten from his days as lead singer of punk band the Sex Pistols, was talking to Piers Morgan in 2015 when he reflected on the moment. 

Chatting to Lydon nine years ago on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories in a clip that has gone viral in recent days, the TalkTV presenter introduced the historic audio clip – which he said had never been played on TV before – as an ‘unbroadcast section of a BBC radio interview’ from 1978. 

Morgan then played the clip, explaining how it was recorded during a conversation about Lydon’s idea of making a film where he kills famous people, and the BBC interviewer can be heard asking: ‘Who else is on the gonner list?’ 

Lydon responds: ‘Oh it’s endless. Believe me. I’d like to make a film of it. I’d like to kill Jimmy Savile. I think he’s a hypocrite.’

Commenting on the historic recording to Morgan, Lydon reflected, ‘Weren’t I right?’ as the audience clapped. 

The recording continued, with Lydon saying: ‘And that he’s into all kinds of seediness that we all know about but we’re not allowed to talk about. I know some rumours. I bet none of this will be allowed out.’

The BBC interviewer responded, ‘I should imagine libellous stuff wouldn’t be allowed out,’ to which Lydon said: ‘Nothing I’ve said is libel.’ 

Returning to the 2015 studio, the audience applauded Lydon for the 1978 interview, and the frontman reflected that his kill list was a ‘bit harsh’ and admitted at that time, he had heard the kinds of things we know to be true about Saville now. 

‘I think most kids did too,’ he added. ‘Most kids wanted to go on Top of the Pops but we all knew what that cigar muncher was up to. But I’m very very bitter that the likes of Saville and the rest of them were allowed to continue.’  

Asked if he ever tried to do anything about Savile, Lydon gestured to the recording with his hand and said: ‘I did my bit and said what I had to.’ 

When Morgan asked if they aired that part of the interview, Lydon shook his head and added: ‘I found myself being banned from BBC radio for quite a while for my “contentious” behaviour. They wouldn’t state this directly. There would be other excuses.’ 

Morgan made the point that Saville got away with his crimes for another 30 years after this interview, and Lydon responded: ‘Not only him but a whole bunch of them, and these are the purveyors of good taste.’  

At the time the BBC said it was appalled by Saville’s crimes and they were considering the culture and practices of the BBC during that period, and a spokesperson also told in 2015: ‘We are not aware of any ban – official or unofficial.’

Savile was once one of the most popular celebrities of his age, as he hosted Jim’ll Fix It and Top of the Pops. 

After his death at the age of 84 in 2011, it was uncovered that he’d used his status and power to commit heinous sexual offences on hundreds of people – including children – throughout much of his showbiz career. 

Many people came forward with stories of his abuse over a five-decade period from 1955 to 2009, and his victims’ ages ranged from 5 to 75. 

Savile began his career in the mid-1950s, working up from a freelance radio host at weekends to becoming a full-time DJ and in 1968 he joined BBC Radio 1. 

He worked at the station for over 20 years and moved into TV, where he interviewed many celebrities, and he even received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1971 for his ‘charity work’ – which turned out to be a cover for his depravity. 

After working with charities for Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, the Duncroft School and the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, his crimes almost came to light in 2007 when Surrey Police received a tip off from a woman who said she saw an ‘incident’ at the Duncroft 30 years ago. 

He denied any wrongdoing – after her story was corroborated by two other women – before threatening a lawsuit, and the case was dropped. 

This article was originally published on September 25, 2015.