Savile stripped of honorary doctorate

Disgraced TV star Jimmy Savile who is at the centre of sexual abuse allegations has been stripped of his honorary doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire.

Following an ITV documentary, which examined claims that the Jim’ll Fix It star molested children and vulnerable teenagers during his career, hundreds of people have come forward to say that they were also a victim.

A police investigation has now been launched into the dead dj’s activities and bosses at the University of Bedfordshire have taken the decision to rescind the honorary doctorate presented to him in 2009 in recognition of his charity work.

A spokesman for the university said: “The honorary award for Jimmy Savile was in recognition of his charitable fundraising.

“It was given in good faith in 2009 without the knowledge of the current very serious allegations.

“In this light, the University of Bedfordshire has confirmed that the honorary award should be rescinded.”

As every day goes by more and more allegations are surfacing about the star in the media. NHS chiefs are currently examining why Savile had keys to Broadmoor maximum security mental hospital in Devon, and claims have surfaced that the Top Of The Pops presenter abused vulnerable patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury.

Times & Citizen readers took to Twitter this week to react to the news.

Reader Ari said: “A bit pointless really isn’t it? It serves no purpose that I can see, it’s not like he needs it!”