The Savile papers

The nice man who made the Freedom of Information request asking the BBC how much they paid Jimmy Savile over the years has been led a merry dance. Instead of just adding it up, the BBC sent files to an outside company to scan, then posted (without a stamp) 1,000 pieces of paper to the inquirer.

Without moaning, Martin Salter has now made the documents available to the world, on Google Drive. They merit some sort of postgraduate study.

My first peek reminds us how often BBC producers in the mid-60s sought Savile's opinions on "youth" - when Savile was already in his forties. There's 10 guineas for an interview with the African Service,  20 guineas for appearing on Line Up, with Yehudi Menuhin, 10 guineas for talking to Arthur Murphy on Look North about "your ideas for outside activities for children who are unmanageable at home", 5 guineas for taking part in "Something to Say" on the Light Programme and 5 guineas for a contribution to Junior Points Of View. When Radio 1 came along in 1967, there was £100 for each edition of Savile's Travels and £82.50 for Speakasy. The going rate for Top of the Pops was 150 guineas - and when it moved from Manchester to London, there was an additional £5 for the return rail fare; no hotel expenses.

One eerie invoice - to Top of the Pops producer Johnnie Stewart, in November 1965, is for 25 guineas, for "for being filmed with children playing with toys" at Greenheys Primary School, Manchester.