Biography

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to wildlife conservation.

Plays the oboe.

Whilst on holiday in the Seychelles he was saved from drowning by Freddy Marks.

Was a member of the highly successful BBC radio show, "I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again". Other cast members included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, John Cleese, David Hatch and Jo Kendall.

Became the third person, in the shows history, to have turned away the 'This Is Your Life (1995 TV series) [1995-]' Red Book, in 2001. Nevertheless, he was eventually persuaded by his family and the show then aired on 31st January 2002.

Jimmy Savile had a big label on saying 'weirdo'.

[on Rolf Harris] He's a jolly bloke. He would want his morning cuddle from the secretary and she'd be only too happy to give it him.

[on Rolf Harris, who was convicted of 12 indecent assaults against four girls] I find it really, really awful, because his wife is not well, hasn't been for a long time. As if life isn't tough enough really with all that sort of thing going on. Leave him alone.

[on Operation Yewtree] Something doesn't quite ring right. You see the police, or somebody, working their way through these people from 40, 50 years ago. A fuck of a long time, isn't it? What's been going on since? I just don't understand it. What made those women, or youngsters when they were growing up, suddenly go to the police? Or did they? Did the police suddenly decide from some unclosed dossier they have?

All I can say about that truthfully is that none of us ever thought he [Sir Jimmy Savile] was anything but strange.