Original version

BBC World Service East Asia

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Witness History: Jimmy Swaggart's Fall From Grace

Documentaries

News

Jimmy Swaggart's Fall From Grace

20/02/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, Jimmy Swaggart's Fall From Grace

How one of America's most successful televangelists was caught with a prostitute

How one of America's most successful televangelists was forced into a humiliating public confession from the pulpit, after he was caught with a prostitute.

In February 1988 Jimmy Swaggart, one of America's most successful televangelists, was forced to make a humiliating public confession from the pulpit. He had been caught in the company of a New Orleans prostitute. Swaggart's tough no-nonsense style of preaching had won him a huge global following. He had also been fiercely critical of other evangelical preachers who had become mired in sexual scandals. Mike Lanchin hears from the Baton Rouge news reporter Edward Pratt, who followed Swaggart's rapid rise to fame and sudden fall.

Photo: Jimmy Swaggart breaks down in tears on televised sermon as he confesses his relationship with a prostitute, Feb 1988 (Alamy)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

Jimmy Swaggart's Fall From Grace

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service East Asia

About BBC World Service