The Reckoning makes its long-awaited debut tonight at 9pm on BBC One, with its portrayal of Jimmy Savile’s heinous crimes revisited in the controversial drama.
Written by Neil McKay and executive produced by Jeff Pope, the four-part series will follow the life of pedophile Savile through the decades.
When he was alive, the sex offender was one of the BBCThe most popular presenters and personalities, but after his death he was exposed as a serial abuser.
Savile used his involvement in various organizations such as; The BBC, the Catholic Church, the political sphere, charities, hospitals and prisons to legitimize and remain undetected while sexually abuse of hundreds of children and young people.
While the public is eagerly awaiting the airing of a dramatic biopic, after a long time controversy regarding his insensitivity to the survivors of the Seville crimeswe’ll take a look at his cast, who will be playing the real-life characters of the fertile case.
Steve Coogan like Jimmy Savile
Suspenseful: The Reckoning makes its long-awaited debut tonight at 9pm on BBC One, with its depiction of Jimmy Savile’s heinous crimes retold in the controversial drama
Disgraced: Report after Savile’s death, in which Scotland Yard worked with the NSPCC, found Savile was a ‘prolific predatory’ sex offender
Steve Coogan, 57, took on the role of the deranged host, with a picture showing him wearing a replica of one of Savile’s colorful tracksuits while lounging in a chair and smoking a cigar.
“It’s controversial and I understand that,” Coogan said of the documentary’s subject, per Radio Times.
The BBC will be damned if they do and damned if they don’t, and I believe the correct choice is for them to be damned if they do.
“Generally speaking, it’s better to talk about something than not.” The team had the right attitude and it was done with the cooperation of the survivors. I think when it airs, it will live up to it.’
Gemma Jones as Agnes Kelly
Food for thought: Steve Coogan stars as Jimmy Saville in a scene set in 1970. In BBC drama The Reckoning, he is shown eating fish and chips with his mother Agnes on the beach next to a camper
Complicated: Savile with his mother Agnes at lunch at the Variety Club, London, September 1965.
BAFTA-winning actress Gemma Jones (Marvellous) will play Agnes Kelly, Savile’s mother. Kelly passed away in 1972, so her engagement will last until Savile turns 46.
This leaves a significant period of time after her death, during which Seville committed his crimes.
Savile’s relationship with his mother, whom he called ‘the duchess’, was not an easy one.
He claimed that it may not have given him much affection growing up, but hinted at some understanding between mother and son, saying that after she raised him for the first half of his life, he raised her as he grew older and more independent. .
In a 2011 interview The Sunday People, via The Daily Record, Savile said: “My mother never failed to be proud. If someone said, ‘What’s Jimmy like?’ she would say: ‘I don’t know what he’s up to, but he’s up to something’.
‘She never trusted me because she thought I would be stolen and end up in trouble.’
Robert Emms as Ray Terrett
Emanating Class: Robert Emms, known for his roles in Chernobyl and Atlantis, will play Ray Terrett, who was Savile’s chauffeur
Former Caroline radio DJ Ray Terrett (pictured) used his celebrity status on the Manchester club scene in the 1960s and 1970s to attack many of his victims
Robert Emms, known for his roles in Chernobyl and Atlantis, will play the role of Ray Terrett, who was Savile’s chauffeur.
The pair became so close that people referred to Terrett as Savile’s ‘shadow’ and he allegedly drove the star around in the 1960s, which he denied.
He used his celebrity status on the Manchester club scene in the 1960s and 1970s to attack many of his victims.
In 2014, he was found guilty of seven counts of rape and 11 counts of indecent assault on a 13-year-old girl.
Teret died in 2021 at the age of 79 after a battle with cancer.
Michael Gibson as Bill Cotton
The Boss: Former head of Light Entertainment for the BBC, Bill Cotton, played by Michael Gibson (left)
Related: Bill Cotton has played a role in overseeing shows such as Morecambe and Vice, The Two Ronnies, Porridge, Monty Python and Tad’s Army.
Olivier-winning actor Gibson will play Bill Cotton, who was the BBC’s head of light entertainment when Savile worked for the broadcaster as a DJ.
He played a role in overseeing shows such as Morecambe and Vice, The Two Ronnies, Porridge, Monty Python and Dad’s Army.
Gibson’s acting career has seen him appear in various series and films, such as Les Miserables, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 1917, and The Riot Club.
He also appeared in Honor (2020) and Four Lives (2022).
Mark Lewis Jones as Charles Halligan
Poise: Mark Lewis Jones plays Charles Halligan, who was Savile’s friend and head porter at the hospital.
Mark Lewis Jones plays Charles Halligan, who was Savile’s friend and head porter at the hospital.
Lewis Jones’ screen appearances include roles on the set of Holby City, Murphy’s Law and Torchwood.
He also took part in the first season of the popular fantasy drama Game Of Thrones, where he played the role of the hill tribe leader, Shagg.
Are any abuse survivors participating in the series?
Four survivors of the Seville crimes – who contributed to The Reckoning will also be featured in the series – were interviewed on camera to offer their further insight and reflect on their experiences.
The BBC said it had “worked closely with many people whose lives have been affected by Seville”.
The series has been seen as controversial and has come under fire for the way it could trigger past memories of Seville’s victims, at a time when the BBC has also given the go-ahead for a drama series about the tragic Grenfell fire.
The BBC’s head of content Charlotte Moore said the broadcaster would not ‘censor’ respected writers who want to make shows about these controversial subjects, while former BBC director of drama Piers Wenger, who helmed The Reckoning, previously claimed there was a ‘public interest’ to make Show.
The BBC also said The Reckoning will “use drama’s unique ability to place events in their emotional and historical context”.
The broadcaster said he “worked closely with many people whose lives were affected by Savile”.
The showdown will be broadcast on BBC One from Monday 9 October, with all episodes available to watch on BBC iPlayer.