#10120. The Celebrity Icon Mask: The Multi-Institutional Masking of Sir Jimmy Savile

September 2026publication date
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Cultural Studies;
Social Sciences (all);
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Abstract:
The aim of this article is to develop the concepts of masks and masking to interrogate the role of institutions in the co-production of ‘untouchable’ celebrity icon status. The empirical focus is the multi-institutional masking of Sir Jimmy Savile OBE KCSG. For decades, Savile was celebrated as one of the UK’s best-loved celebrity icons. One year after his death, he was exposed as a serial sexual predator. We argue that the largely compartmentalised official reports on Savile have presented a partial analysis. They have emphasised the importance of Savile’s celebrity status while taking it for granted, downplayed the significance of his moral standing in British society, and marginalised the proactive, enabling role of the BBC, the NHS and the British establishment.
Keywords:
celebrity; Goffman; icon; mask; persona; sex offender; Sir Jimmy Savile

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