In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gary Glitter was one of the most successful musicians in the UK, with hits such as “Rock and Roll Part 2” and “Do You Wanna Touch Me?”. However, his career was marred by his conviction for downloading child pornography in 1999 and subsequent conviction for sexually abusing young girls in Vietnam. But one particular moment in his career stands out as especially chilling – when he was caught off guard in an interview with Paula Yates. In this article, we will explore what happened in that shocking interview and why it continues to haunt us even today.
Gary Glitter, a well-known English pop musician, was caught off guard in a chilling moment during an interview with Paula Yates on The Big Breakfast in 1992. The video of the interview recently reemerged, showcasing Yates probing Glitter about his private life and how he spends his money. Glitter appears uncomfortable when questioned about young visitors, and when Yates asks if he is “coaching down” younger people to his lair, he panics, looks away, and grinds his teeth, showcasing signs of guilt.
During the interview, Glitter remembers a life of “sex, drugs, and rock & roll” in the 1970s when he would spend a fortune on coachloads of Playboy bunnies to come to his home. “Of course, it was allowed, you could do that in the 70s,” the pedophile says in the clip. When Paula asks Glitter about who he ships in now, he nervously responds that “I’ve got a couple of friends that come around,” but Yates continues to ask further questions. She asks Glitter if they are very young, and he immediately looks away, runs his tongue around his mouth nervously and stays quiet.
Glitter’s body language during the interview portrays what Dr. Cliff Lansley, a body language expert, calls a “1,000-yard stare,” which he finds to be damning evidence of his guilt. The questions asked by Paula Yates, paired with Glitter’s behavior and body language, make it evident that he is hiding something sinister. The musician does mention that he missed out on marrying young girls, asking defensively, “what do you call young, 24, 20?”
Five years after the interview, in 1997, Glitter’s sickening crimes began to emerge after he was discovered to have 4,000 images of child sex abuse. In 1999, he was locked up for downloading these images. Glitter was subsequently jailed in Vietnam in 2006 for molesting two girls aged 11 and 12, before being released in 2008. He was later jailed in the UK in 2015 for 16 years for sexually abusing three young girls at the height of his fame between 1975 and 1980. Glitter, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, was also found guilty of attempted rape and four counts of indecent assault.
Despite being released from prison in February of this year, Glitter was recalled just a month later upon The Sun’s revelation that he was attempting to access the Dark Web. The musician’s actions continue to indicate that he has not learned from his past mistakes, as he was recently caught looking at videos of girls as young as eight performing ballet routines on YouTube and TikTok.
Gary Glitter rose to become one of the most iconic glam rock stars of the 1970s, with hits such as “Rock & Roll” and “Do You Wanna Touch Me”. He sold over 20 million records, but his fame and talent could not overshadow his heinous actions. The chilling moment during his interview with Paula Yates showcases the manipulative and disturbing character of Gary Glitter and his attempts to hide his sickening activities.
In conclusion, the video of Paula Yates’ interview with Gary Glitter is nothing short of chilling. It serves as a reminder of the darkness that can exist behind the fame and glamour of the music industry. Glitter’s discomfort is palpable as he is forced to confront past allegations of sexual abuse, and it is a sobering reminder of the consequences of such heinous actions. The fact that this interview took place years before Glitter’s eventual arrest and conviction only adds to the sense of unease. Perhaps most troubling of all is the lack of consequences for Glitter at the time, despite the clear discomfort and unease he displays in the interview. It serves as a reminder that justice is not always swift or fair, and that those who do harm must be held accountable. As we continue to reckon with the prevalence of sexual abuse in our society, we must also confront our complicity in enabling abusers like Glitter to avoid consequences for far too long.
