A video from 2015 has resurfaced showing punk rock icon John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten, discussing his alleged ban from the BBC over comments he made about Jimmy Savile in 1978.
The clip, from Piers Morgan's Life Stories, features Lydon reflecting on a historic audio recording where he expressed a desire to "kill Jimmy Savile" during an unaired BBC radio interview.
In the resurfaced footage, Morgan introduces the never-before-televised audio clip which captures Lydon's candid remarks about the late TV presenter.
The Sex Pistols frontman can be heard saying "I think he's a hypocrite" and alluding to the "seediness that we all know about but we're not allowed to talk about".
Lydon's prescient comments, made decades before Savile's crimes came to light, have reignited discussions about institutional failures in addressing abuse allegations.
When asked about his "gonner list" for a potential film, Lydon responded: "I'd like to kill Jimmy Savile. I think he's a hypocrite. And that he's into all kinds of seediness that we all know about but we're not allowed to talk about."
The Sex Pistols' John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), was banned by the BBC after outing Jimmy Savile in a 1978 interview. pic.twitter.com/R578IdDLJZ
— Lewis Brackpool (@Lewis_Brackpool) September 17, 2024
The BBC interviewer cautioned the puck rocker about potential libel, to which Lydon retorted: "Nothing I've said is libel."
This exchange highlighted the tension between public suspicion and institutional caution that allowed Savile's behaviour to go unchecked for decades.
Reflecting on the 1978 interview during his 2015 conversation with Morgan, Lydon remarked: "Weren't I right?" as the audience applauded.
He expressed bitterness that Savile and others "were allowed to continue" despite widespread suspicions.
John Lydon spoke with Piers Morgan about the comments
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Lydon claimed: "I found myself being banned from BBC radio for quite a while for my 'contentious' behaviour. They wouldn't state this directly. There would be other excuses."
The punk rocker asserted that he had "done his bit" by speaking out, however, he lamented that Savile's crimes continued for another 30 years after the interview.
When pressed about the BBC's response, Lydon added: "Not only him but a whole bunch of them, and these are the purveyors of good taste."
Jimmy Savile's true nature was revealed after his death in 2011, shocking the nation. Once a beloved TV personality, hosting popular shows like Jim'll Fix It and Top of the Pops, Savile's legacy was shattered when hundreds of victims came forward with accounts of sexual abuse spanning five decades.
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Piers Morgan played the clip where Lydon can be heard saying he wanted to kill Jimmy Savile
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His victims ranged from five to 75 years old, exposing the extent of his depravity. Savile's career, which began in the mid-1950s, saw him rise to prominence at BBC Radio 1 and on television.
He even received a knighthood in 1971 for supposed charity work, which later emerged as a cover for his crimes.
The BBC, when confronted with Lydon's claims of a ban, stated they were "not aware of any ban – official or unofficial".
They expressed being "appalled" by Savile's crimes and were reviewing their practices during that period.