The Reckoning (2022 TV series)

The Reckoning is an upcoming true crime television drama about the life and offences committed by the British DJ and television personality Jimmy Savile, with Steve Coogan portraying Savile.

The Reckoning
GenreCrime drama
Written byNeil McKay[1]
Directed bySandra Goldbacher[1]
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Production locationWales
Release
Original networkBBC

Premise

The four-part series is a biographical account of the life of Jimmy Savile. After he died, it came to light that he had been a prolific child sex abuser and sex offender. The series covers Savile's upbringing, career and sexual offences.[2]

Cast

Production

The production was announced in October 2020,[4] and was criticised before filming was underway. Richard Morrison, writing in The Times, stated that as it was commissioned by the BBC, (the corporation that was accused of turning a blind eye to Savile's crimes), that it felt "..less an act of contrition than of exploitation."[5] Similarly, Pragya Argawal, writing in The Independent stated:

It also feels insidiously callous and thoughtless that an organisation that played a role in glorifying a sex offender and profiting from him [the BBC], while covering up his actions for many decades, are once again capitalising on his “brand” and the fascination that viewers have with monsters and true crime.[6]

However, Ben Lawrence writing in The Daily Telegraph, said that the victims deserved "better than the kneejerk hysteria that has surfaced about The Reckoning", and that "..the question is not whether we should make a drama like The Reckoning, but how we do so."[7]

Coogan himself announced that playing Savile was not a decision that "...he took lightly.. ".[8] "Neil McKay has written an intelligent script tackling sensitively an horrific story which - however harrowing - needs to be told."[9]

Work on the production started in early October 2021 and has been noted filming in the north west of England and in North Wales.[10][11]

The drama is expected to be broadcast by the BBC in 2022.[12]

References
  1. Glover, Ella (12 October 2021). "Steve Coogan pictured as Jimmy Savile for first time while filming The Reckoning". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  2. Evans, Chris, ed. (26 October 2021). "Cold Stare". The Daily Telegraph. No. 51, 770. p. 7. ISSN 0307-1235.
  3. Waterson, Jim (26 September 2021). "Steve Coogan to play Jimmy Savile in 'sensitive' BBC drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  4. Morris, Lauren (14 October 2020). "BBC announces drama mini-series The Reckoning about life of Jimmy Savile". Radio Times. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  5. Morrison, Richard (1 October 2021). "The Reckoning: Tim Davie should think again about the BBC's Jimmy Savile drama". The Times. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  6. Argawal, Pragya (27 September 2021). "Opinion: We don't need TV dramas about child abusers like Jimmy Savile". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  7. Lawrence, Ben (30 December 2021). "It is the duty of dramatists to go to the dark side". The Daily Telegraph. No. 51, 825. p. 25. ISSN 0307-1235.
  8. O'Connor, Roisin (27 September 2021). "Steve Coogan to play paedophile Jimmy Savile in new BBC drama". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  9. "Steve Coogan cast as lead in BBC Drama The Reckoning". BBC. 25 September 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  10. Carr, Flora (13 October 2021). "BBC drama boss defends new Jimmy Savile series starring Steve Coogan". Radio Times. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  11. Steves, Ashley (12 November 2021). "UK What's Filming: BBC Miniseries 'The Reckoning', Starring Steve Coogan". Backstage. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  12. Mzimba, Lizo (26 December 2021). "TV lookahead: 22 highlights to look out for in 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
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