Inside Hunting Gary Glitter: From a '70s music icon to sexual offence convict

Netflix's upcoming docuseries Hunting Gary Glitter will release on October 14, 2026. This docuseries will delve into the life of Gary Glitter, a former pop superstar who was exposed as a serial ch*ld abuser. Originally called Paul Francis Gadd, he was a popular music sensation in the 1970s and 80s.

Hunting Gary Glitter will follow the journalists and the survivors who exposed the former pop sensation. He was convicted and imprisoned in 1999 for downloading child p****graphy images. He later moved to Cambodia, but was deported in 2002 due to suspected s** offences.

In 2006, the Vietnamese court convicted him of committing obscene acts with underage girls. He was then sentenced to three years in jail. Upon his release, he moved to Britain and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. In 2015, he was found guilty of attempted rape, unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage girl, and four counts of indecent assault. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. His parole application was denied in 2024. In 2026, Gadd was charged with historical sex offences.

Netflix has dropped an official trailer for Hunting Gary Glitter. The trailer features interviews with journalists, survivors, and acquaintances as they share the dark secrets of the serial child ab*ser.

Here's more about Hunting Gary Glitter.

Hunting Gary Glitter: Who is Paul Francis Gadd?

Paul Francis Gadd, better known as Gary Glitter, is a former British singer. Born on May 8, 1944, in Banbury, Oxfordshire, he rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s for hits like Do You Wanna Touch Me and Another Rock and Roll Christmas.

However, his fame was short-lived. His career ended after he was convicted in 1999 for downloading child p****graphy material. However, this seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg. According to the trailer for Hunting Gary Glitter, following his arrest, he was convicted of several other offences and was deported from several countries.

Paul Francis Gadd: From a 70s icon turned into a serial child abuser

Gary Glitter is a former British pop icon who was exposed as a serial child abuser - Source: Getty

Paul Francis Gadd was arrested in November 1997 after a technician found obscene images of children on his laptop. Upon further investigation, the police found further images from his home in London and Wedmore.

On November 12, 1999, at the Bristol Crown Court, he admitted downloading more than 4000 such obscene images. He was sentenced to four months in prison.

A fugitive serial child abuser

Upon his release, he moved to Spain and then to Cuba and Cambodia. After he was deported from Cambodia, he decided to settle in Vietnam. In 2006, he was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison for committing obscene acts with two underage girls. The sentence also included a payment to be made to the victims' families and his mandatory deportation. In 2007, his sentence was reduced by three months. He was released on August 19, 2008, and realised he was banned in at least 19 countries. He was forced to head back to London. Upon his arrival, he was added to the Sex Offenders List for life.

Operation Yewtree

Operation Yewtree was an investigation that exposed sexual assault committed by several media personalities. Led by the Metropolitan Police, the investigation began when Jimmy Savile was exposed as a s*x offender. On February 5, 2015, Gadd was convicted of attempted rape, having a sexual relationship with a girl under 13, and four counts of indecent assault. On February 27, 2015, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He began an appeal against the convictions, but it was denied. He was initially released in February 2023 after completing half of his term, but was recalled to prison for breaching licence conditions. His appeal for parole was turned down in 2024.

Historical sex offences

More recently, Paul Francis Gadd was charged with historical sex offences. In July 2026, he was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 and indecent assault. The charges date back to 1978-81. Gadd is now serving his sentence at HM Prison Channings Wood in Devon. He pleaded not guilty to the new charges.