Tom Jones describes Jimmy Savile as “a good man” despite star’s history of sexual abuse

You know Jimmy Savile, right? The children’s entertainer who was uncovered as a paedophile after his death in 2011? Well, Tom Jones has described him as a “good man”.

Former The Voice coach Tom told BBC Radio 5 Live: “He always liked teenage girls, as long as they were over 16, which is of course legal.

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“And you would always see him around with young girls… When you see someone like that, you would never think he was a paedophile because of the way he handled himself.”

He went on: “You always think of paedophiles as being creepy people – well maybe to some people he did look a bit creepy – but he was a bit of a Jack the lad with young girls.”

On how some of Jimmy’s victims met the star when he was host of Top Of The Pops, Tom said: “For a start, you have to be over 16 to dance on Top Of The Pops, so where was it going on?

“I was shocked when it all came out. To me, Jimmy Savile was a good man. But who knows?”

Tom and Jimmy got to know each other after Jimmy gave the musician some “great advice” while he worked at Decca Records when Tom was a rising star.

He said: “He promised to take [the demo] into Decca and then he said, ‘Look, it’s up to you.’

“He told me to make sure the first track was a hot one and I did Breathless. And from that I got a recording contract with Decca, so it was thanks to Jimmy Savile.”

Grim.