Rolf Harris

[ATV2021]

Just started watching it and knowing what we all know now....even the first clip makes you mad uncomfortable!
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I remember writing to Animal Hospital and getting a signed photo & badge back. Lord knows where they went but this just reminded me. That show made me get into veterinary care when I was younger aswell! Oh the rage lol

 

[Gym&Tonic]

I watched the documentary. Does anyone know why some of the dancers featured in the old black and white clips had their faces blurred out? I found that really odd.

 

[Prince fan 1999]

I watched the documentary. Does anyone know why some of the dancers featured in the old black and white clips had their faces blurred out? I found that really odd.

Didn't want to give permission or maybe they since died?

 

[Gym&Tonic]

Didn't want to give permission or maybe they since died?

Possibly. Just found it odd.

 

[Emmalouisa73]

I find it really depressing that quite a lot of the celebs we grew up with in the 70’s/80’s have turned out to be abusers of some kind. It’s like the industry attracts that sort of people, possibly because they were ’stars’ they could get away with doing what they wanted as a blind eye was taken or people were afraid to come forward as they would be sacked etc.. I’m trying to think of the Stars back then that hopefully weren’t that way inclined. So here’s my list (unless anyone has tea on them also 🫤)

Terry Wogan
Des O’connor
Les Dennis
Russ Abbott
Tony Blackburn
Noel Edmunds

No not Terry I loved listening to him on the radio and his presenting of Eurovision Song Contest. I’d be gutted.
I was born in the 70s and a cas. I always felt Jimmy Saville was disgusting even at a young age. I was actually shocked about Rolf! I sang his Two Little Boys song in a school play in the junior school. The thing I’ve found quite sick is now listening back to some music from the early 70s even to 80s there was a lot of songs about lusting after school girls. Rod Stewart is prime example. But they are catchy tunes and I guess at the time it wasn’t seen as anything dodgy. I’d also be gutted about David Jason as I’ve seen his name mentioned a few times in conversations like this x
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The press knew about him for years. It was common knowledge, they had loads of info on him. But couldn't take the risk of running with it for fear of being sued (which is also how Russell Brand has not been exposed as a serial rapist).

What? Is this true? Or as much to the truth as you can get?

 

[HotesTilaire]

I watched the documentary. Does anyone know why some of the dancers featured in the old black and white clips had their faces blurred out? I found that really odd.

Possibly underage -by todays standards
Could have been 15 or 16 in the 60s and be dancing in a bikini on tv I reckon

 

[PrincessCharming]

That reminds me, I hope all the Mini Pops were treated correctly. I loved that show as a kid.

 

[StatusWoe]

The thing I’ve found quite sick is now listening back to some music from the early 70s even to 80s there was a lot of songs about lusting after school girls. Rod Stewart is prime example. But they are catchy tunes and I guess at the time it wasn’t seen as anything dodgy.

This just reminded me of John Peel and his schoolgirl obsession. I admired him for his music knowledge and the way he championed lesser-known bands, but omg was I disappointed to learn about his private life.

(Apologies this isn't directly about RH.)

 

[L3moning]

This just reminded me of John Peel and his schoolgirl obsession. I admired him for his music knowledge and the way he championed lesser-known bands, but omg was I disappointed to learn about his private life.

(Apologies this isn't directly about RH.)

As I've said before, Peel almost certainly did things that were illegal, but I don't think there was ever much chance of proving it, even if he was still alive now (and he'd be well over 80 if he was).

 

[Prince fan 1999]

Watched the first part of the documentary last night. Was pretty triggering to be honest. The lady who took part in that sports thing who was 16 rang a lot of bells with me. My friend's dad did exactly the same

 

[Dizzy]

What these awful men did resonates with so many women. I hope I'm wrong but it often feels that the majority of women of a certain age have been assaulted or abused in some way, usually as children/young women. When I was in my mid teens I was assaulted by a consultant during an examination for headaches and then by a much older male colleague when I had a summer job in a factory. It took me many years to recognise that I had actually been assaulted. I didn't report either as I accepted it at the time as something that "just happened". I really do hope that all these historic cases coming to light has helped change things.

 

[L3moning]

I hope I'm wrong but it often feels that the majority of women of a certain age have been assaulted or abused in some way, usually as children/young women.

Official figures are that ⅓ of women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their life, iirc. And that's a relatively recent survey, so it wouldn't surprise me if your hunch was correct.

 

[Emmalouisa73]

What these awful men did resonates with so many women. I hope I'm wrong but it often feels that the majority of women of a certain age have been assaulted or abused in some way, usually as children/young women. When I was in my mid teens I was assaulted by a consultant during an examination for headaches and then by a much older male colleague when I had a summer job in a factory. It took me many years to recognise that I had actually been assaulted. I didn't report either as I accepted it at the time as something that "just happened". I really do hope that all these historic cases coming to light has helped change things.

I totally get what you are saying. I was abused by my stepfather from age 6. Then as a young adult by someone I trusted and almost in plain sight of family I was with. It was discovered about step dad but it was late 70s so brushed under the carpet. By the time the family friend had assaulted me I had become numb and felt it was my fault anyway. I never reported him and feel so guilty to this day that there may have been more girls after me. These women that came forward are so so brave. I was terrified of reporting a no body so I can imagine how much more terrifying to report a well known and well loved celebrity. Was a heartbreaking programme to watch. My love goes out to all you who have sadly been a victim to these sick disgusting men xxxxxxx
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Also thought just add I have drummed into my 3 girls that if anyone ever did anything like this to them I will believe them. I don’t care who it is my children will be believed and protected. My mother didn’t do that for me

 

[Baby Giraffe]

Official figures are that ⅓ of women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their life, iirc. And that's a relatively recent survey, so it wouldn't surprise me if your hunch was correct.

I think part of the problem is the range of things that sexual assault covers so broad from things that are relatively minor to very serious. None if it is acceptable and all of it should be called out and stopped (or preferably not happen in the first place) but I hear too many people downgrade it as a whole and then we risk falling into the world gone mad rants that don't allow a man to compliment a woman. It's ridiculous really. Thankfully I've never been subject to anything too serious or ongoing but there have definitely been situations where I've been uncomfortable however when mentioning them to other people, both women, and men, have struggled their shoulders and said that it's part of life. This has included unwanted remarks about my appearance in professional settings, being told they wanted to duck me when out running alone and having my leg stroked on a train under the table. None of this is up (down really) to the standards of the full on nonce but still unacceptable and shouldn't be seen as OK.

 

[tagliatelle]

I said this in another thread before. My exes relative was in Staffordshire HMP with Rolf. Apparently he openly admitted to doing stuff to grown women but always denied the underage stuff. When he got to the jail he was a right dick and tried getting his dinners bought to his cell. Soon realised that was gonna happen. The governor made a rule that prisoners were only allowed one drawing from Rolf each or something like that. On visits Rolf was attracting alot of attention so him and his wife got visits in their own private room. Other inmates kicked off so it was back to the usual visiting room for them.

Spoiler

Tangential, but I live near HMP Stafford and you have to drive past to get into town. It used to freak me the duck out that Rolf was in there. They had to build extra courses of bricks around the top of the prison walls because inmates used to shout and throw stuff into the road.

 

[Lucyxxxx]

Spoiler

Tangential, but I live near HMP Stafford and you have to drive past to get into town. It used to freak me the duck out that Rolf was in there. They had to build extra courses of bricks around the top of the prison walls because inmates used to shout and throw stuff into the road.

Eeww no way I did not know that. Horrid fuckers.

 

[Fifah1907]

Spoiler

Tangential, but I live near HMP Stafford and you have to drive past to get into town. It used to freak me the duck out that Rolf was in there. They had to build extra courses of bricks around the top of the prison walls because inmates used to shout and throw stuff into the road.

Really?!

 

[Libbylulu]

I was never a RH fan, I found him odd and he made me uncomfortable. On the other hand I loved Jim’ll Fix It and thought the programme magical because it made dreams come true - looking back, how horrific was it to hoodwink young children with a pedalo hosting a dreams come true show! Mind blowing!
Watching the two of them in the opening scene on Jim’ll Fix It, with their hands on that poor young girl made me feel sick. What’s wrong with adults needing young children. It’s beyond anything I can fathom.

 

[HotesTilaire]

I think what comes through in the Rolf programme is that victims were very clear a lot happened in plain sight, and that’s what he got off on.
This is the “problem” with these sorts of behaviours being “minimised” as being handsy, a bit of a letch, a man who loves the ladies etc because writing off an incident where he, say, touched your leg or pulled you too close as being playful, or womanising
- stops you from saying about the hand up your skirt or the crotch grindins
- ignores the power imbalance between a male “much loved” older man and a younger woman
- ignores the fact that he gets off on the power imbalance knowing she feels she can’t do anything overt to stop him

its really a form of torturous behaviour towards a weaker person. If someone gets off on that, they’ve got problems and what other weaker people are they doing things to?

 

[Catfan2]

What these awful men did resonates with so many women. I hope I'm wrong but it often feels that the majority of women of a certain age have been assaulted or abused in some way, usually as children/young women. When I was in my mid teens I was assaulted by a consultant during an examination for headaches and then by a much older male colleague when I had a summer job in a factory. It took me many years to recognise that I had actually been assaulted. I didn't report either as I accepted it at the time as something that "just happened". I really do hope that all these historic cases coming to light has helped change things.

I’m sure my next door neighbour when I was a child was some sort of pervert. I used to enjoy helping him in the garden when I was about 10, planting seeds etc and doing jobs in the greenhouse. All of a sudden he’d start making comments to me that I wasn’t comfortable with. I made sure I didn’t continue with the gardening after that. I never said anything to my parents but kept away from him completely. He must have been in his 60s at least. This was in the 1970s. I’m positive his wife had no idea.