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Jimmy Savile death: Tributes roll in for DJ and TV star Jimmy Savile death: Tributes roll in
(about 7 hours later)
Tributes are being paid to DJ, TV presenter and charity fundraiser Sir Jimmy Savile, who has died aged 84.Tributes are being paid to DJ, TV presenter and charity fundraiser Sir Jimmy Savile, who has died aged 84.
Sir Jimmy, one of the most famous names on British TV and radio in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, died on Saturday.Sir Jimmy, one of the most famous names on British TV and radio in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, died on Saturday.
His family programme, Jim'll Fix It, drew huge audiences and received 20,000 letters a week at one time. Tributes have come from such figures as the Prince of Wales, who said he was "saddened" to hear of Sir Jimmy death.
Showbusiness friends and colleagues have described him as a "larger than life" character who worked tirelessly for charitable causes. Details of how the broadcaster died are not yet known, but he was recently in hospital with pneumonia. His nephews said he died quietly in his sleep.

id="heading-1">Tony Blackburn, radio presenter

id="heading-1">Alan Franey, former Chief Executive of Broadmoor Hospital

Ex-Radio 1 DJ Blackburn said his former radio colleague was embraced by everybody, and was "always just Jimmy Savile". "I spent a lot of time with him and would say I knew him probably as well as anybody else knew him," Mr Franey told BBC 5 live.
"He was just a complete one-off. I think he was a bit of a lonely character as well. In the privacy of his own life I don't think he had very many friends," he told BBC News. "I spoke to him last Wednesday and asked him how he was, and he said he was feeling very tired and short of breath. Mentally, he was very alert. But he said to me: 'I'm coming to the end of the tunnel.'
He added: "I've never known anyone quite like him. He was a blunt speaking Northerner, but also kind and very respectful." Mr Franey ran marathons with Sir Jimmy to raise money for causes including Broadmoor, Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire and Leeds General Infirmary.

class="section-header" id="heading-2">Stoke Mandeville Hospital

"Jimmy would spend time going round the hospital [at Broadmoor] talking to staff and talking to patients, and if he could do any fundraising he would do so," he said.
Sir Jimmy raised £20m for the creation of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at the hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1983, following damage caused by severe weather to the old pre-fab wooden huts which had housed spinal cord injury patients. "He spent a lot of his life involved in raising [money for] charity and was passionate about helping people. Jimmy had a very normal upbringing but it was a tough upbringing and he never forgot his roots. He felt that he was in a situation where he could raise funds for people using his position in showbiz and he successfully did that."
A spokeswoman for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said everyone was "incredibly saddened" by Sir Jimmy's death.

class="section-header" id="heading-2">David Hamilton, DJ

He had been a volunteer at the hospital and ran more than 200 marathons for various charitable organisations. "We were together at Radio 1 in the '70s and the station was full of eccentric personalities, but he was certainly the most flamboyant of all," Hamilton told BBC 5 live.
"Sir Jimmy has been a great supporter of Stoke Mandeville Hospital for a number of decades," she said. "One of the essential things about Jimmy was that he was a man of the people. He knew his audience, he was very much in touch with his audience. I think the public were his family.
"He was tireless in his attempts to fundraise for the hospital and was integral in the creation of the National Spinal Injuries Centre that we have today. "Probably of all the DJs I worked with, I knew him less than any of the others. He kept himself very much to himself. He didn't drink so he wasn't the sort of man who would go down to the pub and have a bevvy with you."
"Sir Jimmy will be sorely missed by staff and patients alike."

class="section-header" id="heading-3">Paul Bruce, who appeared on Jim'll Fix It

class="section-header" id="heading-3">David Hamilton, radio presenter

 Sir Jimmy fixed it for Paul to drive an HGV lorry in 1979. "It was every child's dream to get on that programme," he said.
Hamilton said that Sir Jimmy, who was knighted for his services to charity, worked "tirelessly" to raise funds for various causes. "It was fanstastic to meet the guy and go on the programme, and I had 15-17 million people watching me on a Saturday evening. He was A great guy."
"He was a very energetic character," Mr Hamilton told Sky News.

class="section-header" id="heading-4">Graham Smith from Harrogate, Yorkshire, neighbour and colleague

"But most of all, I remember him as just a totally flamboyant, over the top, larger than life character and as he was on the air, he was just the same off." "I lived in the apartment directly below Sir Jimmy for a few years and worked as a documentary cameraman on Jim'll Fix It," Mr Smith said.

class="section-header" id="heading-4">John Myers, chief executive of industry body the Radio Academy

"I got to know him quite well as neighbours as well as professionally. I also worked with Sir Jim on a video for Leeds General Infirmary. I was always impressed with the way he was around the hospital.
Mr Myers said: "The sad death of Sir Jimmy Savile represents a great loss to the UK radio industry. "He would chat with everyone and spend time with everyone. He was never too busy, he really liked people and he was happy to spend time with them.
He added: "Margaret Thatcher asked him to look after the wives of the G7 leaders during a conference. He took them to Stoke Mandeville. They were confronted by a man in tracksuit and a jewellery but by the end of the day, they were eating out of his hand."

Mark Thompson, BBC director general

"I am very sad to hear of Sir Jimmy Savile's death," said Mr Thompson.
"From Top of the Pops to Jim'll Fix It, Jimmy's unique style entertained generations of BBC audiences. Like millions of viewers and listeners we shall miss him greatly."

Jeremy Hunt, Culture Secretary

"Sir Jimmy Savile was one of broadcasting's most unique and colourful characters," said Mr Hunt.
"From Top of the Pops to making children's dreams come true on Jim'll Fix It, a generation of people will remember his catchphrases and sense of fun.
"But his lasting legacy will be the millions he raised for charity, tirelessly giving up his time and energy to help those causes he was passionate about."

Dave Lee Travis, radio presenter

Lee Travis said Sir Jimmy could talk to anybody and "genuinely enjoyed" seeing the joy on the faces of the children on Jim'll Fix It.
But he was also a private man, he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "Deep down inside him there was a guy which was very hard to get to.
"I've known Jimmy Savile for over 50 years, that's a hell of a long period to know somebody, and I've never had an absolutely in depth straight conversation with him because he's constantly got a sort of invisible shield up.
"He likes to keep his distance from everybody, even friends. He'll joke his way out of something if he doesn't want to answer you... I think probably enigma is a good word for it."

Charles Kennedy MP

The former Liberal Democrat leader and MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said Sir Jimmy was "a true and long-standing friend to the West Highlands over decades of diligence and decency".
"When not resident at his home in Glencoe, he made it available for mountain rescue use," he said.
"It was typical of the man that he never drew attention to such characteristic generosity. A sad loss indeed."

Councillor Keith Wakefield, leader of Leeds City Council

"Sir Jimmy Savile was Leeds born and bred and he remained a Leeds lad throughout his life," Cllr Wakefield said.
"He was a much-loved and well-known figure - a larger-than-life character and an inspiration to many, particularly the children of the city.
"His enormous contribution to charity will never be forgotten. We are proud to have someone like him, who did so much for so many, come from Leeds."

John Myers, chief executive of industry body the Radio Academy

Mr Myers said: "The sad death of Sir Jimmy Savile represents a great loss to the UK radio industry.
"He was one of the pioneers of modern pop-music radio. He made the smooth transfer from Radio Luxembourg to the BBC in the late 1960s and from 1997 moved his broadcasts to commercial radio where he continued to be successful and well respected by radio audiences around the UK."He was one of the pioneers of modern pop-music radio. He made the smooth transfer from Radio Luxembourg to the BBC in the late 1960s and from 1997 moved his broadcasts to commercial radio where he continued to be successful and well respected by radio audiences around the UK.
"The UK radio industry meets for its annual festival in Salford next week. He will be fondly remembered and his death will be marked at a special session on Tuesday morning.""The UK radio industry meets for its annual festival in Salford next week. He will be fondly remembered and his death will be marked at a special session on Tuesday morning."

Paul Burnett, radio presenter

Burnett said that Sir Jimmy's charity work was a "two-way street", adding: "He didn't have a family as such and so when he took on a charity, that became his family.
"He did a lot of work as a porter in the hospital that he collected money for. He would go there at night and work as a porter and I think he loved the people that he worked with, it wasn't just for the publicity, but he knew the charities were doing well out of it as well.
"He was capable of acts of great kindness."
Mr Burnett added in the interview with Sky News that he was "genuinely shocked " at the news.
"He was one of those guys who is so super fit, I thought he would go on forever to be honest," he said.
"You didn't really ever get to know 'the man' because he was a showman, and like so many showmen that's it that's their main thing in life and he did it brilliantly."

Dave Lee Travis, radio presenter

Lee Travis told Sky News that Sir Jimmy was a "larger than life" character, adding: "We are all going to be worse off without him around."

Stuart Hall, broadcaster

Sir Jimmy was "unique" but "a loner", It's a Knockout presenter and football commentator Hall told BBC Radio 5 live.
He added: "He had lots of imitators, the one and only Jimmy Savile."

Mark Thompson, BBC director general

"I am very sad to hear of Sir Jimmy Savile's death," said Mr Thompson.
"From Top Of The Pops to Jim'll Fix It, Jimmy's unique style entertained generations of BBC audiences. Like millions of viewers and listeners we shall miss him greatly."

Jeremy Hunt, Culture Secretary

"Sir Jimmy Savile was one of broadcasting's most unique and colourful characters. From Top Of The Pops, to making children's dreams come true on Jim'll Fix It, a generation of people will remember his catchphrases and sense of fun," said Mr Hunt.
"But his lasting legacy will be the millions he raised for charity, tirelessly giving up his time and energy to help those causes he was passionate about."

Tributes on Twitter

Entrepreneur and Apprentice star Lord Sugar tweeted: Sad news on the death of Jimmy Savile very funny man and did loads of work for charity, RIP.
Comedian Ricky Gervais tweeted: RIP Jimmy Savile My first guest on my first TV show. A proper British eccentric.
Impressionist Rory Bremner tweeted: Just heard Jimmy Savile has died at 84. A nation's impressionists mourn. Quite a character. RIP.
Former deputy Labour leader Lord Prescott tweeted: Sad to hear of Jimmy Savile's death. Tireless fundraiser and a real character. #nowthennowthen