Tom Jones says he was “shocked” at revelations Jimmy Savile was a paedophile, despite knowing he enjoyed the company of teenage girls.
But the singer added that he didn’t think the TV and radio personality, who presented Top Of The Pops for 20 years, was “creepy” enough to be capable of sexual abuse.
The singer was speaking to BBC Radio 5’s Afternoon Edition about his career, which Savile was instrumental in getting off the ground, when he admitted that Savile “always liked teenage girls, as long as they were over 16, which is of course legal”.
“You would see him around with young girls. When you see someone like that, you would never think he was a paedophile because of the way he handled himself,” he said.
Jones said he thought Savile’s popularity meant that people would have never imagined he was capable of such abuse because, despite appearing quite eccentric, he was incredibly popular.
"You always think of paedophiles as being like creepy people – well maybe to some people he did look a bit creepy - but he was a bit of a Jack The Lad with young girls,” he admitted.
When asked if he had seen anything untoward or suspicious when he performed on Top Of The Pops, which Savile presented, Jones said he wasn’t sure where anything could happen.
“For a start, you have to be over 16 to dance, so where was it going on?,” he said.
“I was shocked when it all came out,' he added. 'To me, Jimmy Saville was a good man. But who knows?'
