Netflix release trailer for Jimmy Savile documentary

Jimmy Savile's abuse of power and fame in order to become a prolific sex offender is to be examined in a new documentary for Netflix.

A new trailer for Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story examines archive footage of the TV and radio presenter in an attempt to understand how he fooled the British public into hailing him as a 'national treasure', only to be exposed as a paedophile after his death.

Savile is shown in footage telling the camera: "Let me tell you, you really are missing something. In fact, you’re missing everything."

The presenter of Top Of The Pops and Jim'll Fix It died in 2011 at the aged of 84. Since his death more than 450 allegations of sexual abuse have been made against him, with victims as young as five years old.

Read more: Vernon Kay apologises after Jimmy Savile blunder on BBC Radio 2

Another clip shows Savile in a hospital, saying: "I am a voluntary helper. Sometimes, when nobody’s looking, I help the lasses."

One contributor tells the documentary: "With Jim, you accepted things as normal, but it was abnormal."

And another said: "It turns out everywhere he'd been, there'd been abuse."

Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story launches on Netflix on Wednesday, 6 April.

Meanwhile, Steve Coogan is set to star in BBC drama The Reckoning, about how Savile’s abuse went on unchecked for decades while he worked as a presenter and charity fundraiser.

Writer Neil McKay revealed last year how some survivors of the Top of the Pops host wanted to attend filming and that safeguarding measures had been established.

He said: “It’s clearly going to be strange. But they wanted to do it, they’re fully prepared, so it will be interesting.”

“[Savile’s] victims concerned requested to attend filming since we are telling their stories, and all appropriate safeguarding measures were put in place by production to facilitate this.”

McKay has also shared that it took “a year” to convince Coogan to take on the challenging role.

News of his casting was made public in September. Coogan said in a statement at the time: “To play Jimmy Savile was not a decision I took lightly.

“Neil McKay has written an intelligent script tackling sensitively a horrific story which, however harrowing, needs to be told.”

Read more: Coleen Nolan reveals Jimmy Savile invited her to hotel room when she was 14

Responding to backlash about the series, BBC’s controller of drama commissioning Piers Wenger said the primary intention of the programme was to “give voice to the victims and to tell their stories sensitively”.

The Reckoning is set to air later this year.

Watch: Vernon Kay accidentally called Jimmy Somerville, 'Jimmy Savile' live on the radio