Jimmy Savile Funeral-fans to say goodbye

Sir Jimmy’s body will be taken to a city centre hotel in his home town of Leeds on Tuesday so well-wishers can say goodbye to him ahead of a Requiem Mass in the city the day after - Wednesday November 9.

The broadcasting icon will be buried the following day in the North Yorkshire seaside resort of Scarborough, which he loved and where he also had a flat.

Further details of the arrangements for his body at The Queens Hotel, in Leeds, will be released later.

The Requiem Mass at St Anne’s Cathedral is expected to be a very public celebration of his life attended by Sir Jimmy’s friends from the world of showbusiness, representatives of the many charities he helped, as well as hundreds of members of the public.

The veteran DJ, who presented the first episode of Top Of The Pops as well as his long-running show Jim’ll Fix It, was found at his flat in Roundhay, Leeds, on Saturday - just two days before his 85th birthday.

His death came after a spell in hospital earlier this month with a suspected bout of pneumonia.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall led tributes to the star.

Known for his trademark catchphrases, tracksuits and tinted glasses, friends and colleagues described Sir Jimmy as a “larger than life” character who was dedicated to charity work.

He started his working life as a miner in his native Yorkshire before running a series of clubs and working as a wrestler and DJ.

He has raised millions for charity and for many years was a regular marathon runner in support of good causes.

Sir Jimmy raised £20 million for the creation of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1983 following damage caused by severe weather to the old pre-fab wooden huts which had housed spinal cord injury patients.

He was a volunteer at the hospital and ran more than 200 marathons for various charitable organisations.

Two of Sir Jimmy’s nephews said their uncle died peacefully in his sleep on Friday night.

Roger Foster and Ian McKenna paid tribute to Sir Jimmy outside his flat.

Mr Foster said: “Jimmy was a wonderful man, his public face is well-known but we knew him as much more than an uncle, he was a very good friend.

“Jimmy will be sadly missed by very many people.”

Radio presenter David Hamilton said: “I remember him as just a totally flamboyant, over the top, larger than life character and as he was on the air, he was just the same off.”

Former radio colleague Tony Blackburn said Sir Jimmy was a “big, over the top personality”.

The Diocese of Leeds confirmed that Sir Jimmy’s coffin will be at the Queens Hotel from 9am to 4.30pm and members of the public will be encouraged to come and pay their respects, if they want to.

It is understood the coffin will be closed.