Val McDermid

[on psychopath Jacko Vance in Wire in the Blood (2002)] People often asked me where I had got the inspiration for the character. They never guessed it was Savile [Jimmy Savile]. For a start, Jacko is handsome and charming. I assume Savile didn't recognise himself in that description. He was a deeply unpleasant man. He was all smiles and laughter for the audience but as soon as we were alone, he was different. Savile was very much in the front of my mind when I was creating Jacko.