Rolf Harris’ Dark Double Life to Be Explored In New Doc ‘Primetime Predator
- The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has commissioned a new two-part documentary titled "Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator," which is scheduled to debut on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
- A central component of the documentary is the inclusion of interviews with survivors who have never previously spoken in public about the crimes committed by Harris.
- Prior to his legal downfall, Harris was a ubiquitous figure across television, radio, and music charts in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has commissioned a new two-part documentary titled “Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator,” which is scheduled to debut on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The series is designed to provide a comprehensive account of the double life led by the disgraced Australian entertainer, tracing his trajectory from his origins in suburban Perth, Australia, to his eventual status as a highly influential figure in the United Kingdom.
A central component of the documentary is the inclusion of interviews with survivors who have never previously spoken in public about the crimes committed by Harris. According to the ABC, the series intends to reveal the long-term pattern of abuse that unfolded behind the scenes for decades, contrasting these actions with the public image of fame and influence Harris maintained throughout his career.
A Career of International Prominence
Prior to his legal downfall, Harris was a ubiquitous figure across television, radio, and music charts in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His musical success was marked by several high-charting hits, including “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport,” which reached No. 9 in the U.K. In 1960 and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. In 1963.
In the U.K. Market, Harris achieved further success with “Sun Arise,” which hit No. 3 in 1962. His song “Two Little Boys,” released via Columbia, holds the specific distinction of being the final No. 1 hit in the U.K. During the 1960s. His presence on the charts extended into the 1990s; in 1993, a cover of “Stairway to Heaven,” a spin-off from the Australian television show “Money or the Gun,” reached No. 7 in the U.K.
Beyond music, Harris was recognized as a visual artist. In the mid-2000s, he was commissioned to paint Queen Elizabeth II, a sitting that was subsequently turned into a documentary.
Operation Yewtree and Legal Downfall
The collapse of Harris’s public standing began in 2013 when he was questioned and arrested by police as part of Operation Yewtree. This investigation targeted sexual abuse among members of the English media elite and included the late Jimmy Savile.
Following a trial in 2014, Harris was found guilty of various indecent assaults on women and young girls. The court determined that these offenses occurred between 1968 and 1986. As a result of these convictions, he was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison.
Harris was released from prison in 2017. Despite his conviction and the testimony of his victims, he denied any wrongdoing and never issued an apology to those he abused.
Official Honors and Subsequent Removal
During the height of his career, Harris moved within the highest social and official circles of Great Britain, his adopted home. His contributions to the arts and entertainment were recognized with multiple honors, including being named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In his native Australia, Harris received similar accolades. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Following the revelations of his crimes, ARIA has since removed his name from its record books.
Legacy and Survivor Testimony
Rolf Harris died in 2023 at the age of 93. In announcing the new documentary series, the ABC highlighted the changing environment for those who suffered under Harris’s influence.
“In the years since, the silence that once protected him has begun to lift,” the ABC stated, adding that the series “gives voice to those who were previously unable to, as they share their experience on their own terms.”
ABC
The broadcaster further noted that the death of Harris “has finally lifted a veil of fear once cast by this powerful figure, and survivors who long feared retribution are at last able to speak.”
“Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator” is scheduled to air at 8:30 PM AEST on ABC TV. Both episodes will also be available for streaming on ABC iView.