LONDON // A veteran BBC broadcaster, Stuart Hall, pleaded guilty to child sex offences yesterday, becoming the latest British TV star from the 1970s and 1980s to be embroiled in abuse allegations.
Hall, 83, who was best known for hosting the family TV show It's a Knockout and was still working for the BBC as a football radio commentator until recently, admitted to 14 counts of indecent offences against young girls over two decades, with the youngest victim just nine years old.
"Whether in public or private, Hall would first approach under friendly pretences and then bide his time until the victim was isolated," said Nazir Afzal, the chief crown prosecutor in north-western England.
"He can only be described as an opportunistic predator."
Hall's admission follows a scandal centred on the late Jimmy Savile, an eccentric former BBC TV presenter who police said in January had committed sex crimes on an unprecedented scale and was suspected of more than 200 offences.
The revelations about Savile, who was one of the BBC's biggest stars during the 1970s and 1980s and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, rocked the public broadcaster and heralded subsequent allegations against a procession of ageing, high-profile names.
On Wednesday, William Roache, the world's longest-serving TV soap actor, was charged with two counts of rape against a 15-year-old girl.
Mr Roache, 81, who has played womaniser Ken Barlow in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street since its first episode in 1960, is accused of attacking the girl in 1967.
While neither the cases of Hall nor Mr Roache were directly linked to the Savile case, the police inquiry into sex crimes has shocked Britons.
Last week a celebrity publicist, Max Clifford, 70, whose clients have included The X Factor reality TV creator Simon Cowell, was charged with 11 counts of indecent assault between 1966 and 1985.
An Australian children's entertainer, Rolf Harris, 83, who once painted the queen's portrait; a former BBC radio DJ, Dave Lee Travis, 67, who was praised by Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi for keeping her entertained during her years of house arrest; and a comedian, Freddie Starr, 70, are among those arrested.
Mr Clifford and others who have spoken out publicly or through their lawyers have denied any wrongdoing.
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
More coverage from the Future Forum
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now