Steve Coogan on portraying a pedophile TV host in The Reckoning and Jimmy Savile
One of the most renowned pedophiles and sex offenders in British criminal history, Jimmy Savile, is portrayed by actor Steve Coogan in a new TV drama.
The TV host and radio DJ had a long and successful career until his away in 2011 at the age of 84. He was then well-known for his odd behavior and humanitarian activities. The whole nature of his sexual abuse didn’t come to light until after he passed away.
Savile had taken use of his fame throughout his life to prey on hundreds of victims, both male and female, many of them were children. Years of rumors and accusations concerning his conduct were followed by his denials and refutations, which let him dodge accountability and punishment.
The Reckoning on BBC One traces Savile’s career, from his early days as a DJ in music halls in the north of England to his hosting of wildly popular programs like Top of the Pops and Jim’ll Fix It, and explores why he was never held accountable for his deeds.
It is a complicated and difficult story to tell in a television show. Coogan, who is best known for his work in the movies Philomena and as Alan Partridge, confesses he had “great trepidation” about the challenges ahead.
“I felt like there’s probably a handful of people in the country who could play the part, and I did consider myself one of them,” said the actor.
“It wasn’t fun, but it was a challenge I wanted to take on professionally… I was aware that failure could be disastrous if done incorrectly, yet that didn’t stop me from trying.
For the organizations where Savile worked or volunteered, including the BBC and hospitals like Broadmoor, Stoke Mandeville, and Leeds General Infirmary, his crimes are a major source of shame. He attacked them frequently on their property.
Several of his victims made an effort to report his abuse. Savile, however, was a strong guy with links to other strong individuals, including prime ministers and royal family members. He was menacing, elusive when questioned, and hard to track down.
Coogan claims that both he and the producers knew the script would “have to answer the question everyone has” and that this is the main motivation behind their decision to film the drama. “And I felt comfortable that it was being made for the right reasons,” he continues.
He claims that getting “under the skin” of Savile is what distinguishes dramas from documentaries. And the reason that’s a smart thing to do is that learning how these things happen requires bringing him back to life. to prevent it from happening again.
Coogan asserts that in order to see how such abuse might occur, “you have to show the facts that might initially seem contradictory. He was obviously charismatic because that was a component of the Trojan horse he built to carry out his sexual assaults.
Over the course of 30 years, he built a very complex machine that was quite useful to him. He also invented the court jester persona, which served as his armor. Even for very reputable journalists, it was exceedingly challenging to penetrate that defense.
While Savile was still alive, reporters like Andrew Neil and Louis Theroux tried to break through his tough exterior, but getting the entertainer to talk about the rumors that swirled about him was like attempting to nail jelly to a wall.
Another journalist, though, was nearly there. The recorded conversations between Dan Davies and Savile over the course of seven years for a biography are dramatized in The Reckoning. As Savile considers his life and career, the show may move back and forth in time thanks to this useful interrogatory narrative structure.
Davies frequently questioned Savile about the aspects of his life that he tried to hide because he felt that he wasn’t getting to know the real Savile. In the series, their bond can be seen deteriorating as Savile grows irate over those questions.
While Savile was still alive, the book wasn’t finished. However, after his passing, victims came forward, and Davies continued his investigation by speaking with them as well. His final book, In Plain Sight: The Life and Lies of Jimmy Savile, was released in 2014.
Coogan has performed hilarious Savile impersonations in the past. His performance in The Reckoning, though, is somewhat darker. Even though he had an easy time getting into character, he recognizes the gravity of the situation.
Sure thing! “I have a pretty good sense of hearing, and when it comes to my acting, I approached the role of Jimmy Savile just like any other. As a professional, I take my job seriously, and that means avoiding any caricature or comedic elements. It’s important not to portray him as some kind of pantomime villain, as that would be unfair to the survivors and victims.”
In 2016, Dame Janet Smith completed an investigation that revealed 72 victims of Savile related to his work at the BBC, including eight rape victims. Eleven of his victims were children under the age of twelve.
The series’ creators made a wise decision by include evidence from some of Savile’s real-life victims. Video of Susan, Kevin, Sam, and Darien, who waived their right to remain anonymous, detailing their experiences and the lasting effects of his assaults, opens each of the four episodes.
The Reckoning was created by ITV Studios even though it is showing on the BBC.
That is not rare. Since the BBC is a step removed from the editorial process in this instance, it offers significant and valuable distance.
Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s head of content, says, “I thought it was crucial that they should have the editorial flexibility to tell the tale they desired. “I said, ‘There are no boundaries to where you should go, you need to tell that story’.”
However, at a press conference earlier this week, journalists who thought the play did not criticize the BBC harshly enough vigorously questioned Moore and the panel.
One of their main complaints was that the show did not show how a Newsnight investigation into Savile was shelved in 2011, just weeks before the BBC was supposed to air a tribute to him.
Instead, after the four-part series comes to a close, the fiasco is mentioned in a post-script.
Moore disagreed, claiming that the BBC is “featured all the way through” the play, showing how many people in authority “failed to listen to the rumours, failed to ask further questions, failed to do anything about it.”
We don’t seem to be avoiding the BBC’s involvement in this, she continued. “I believe it is abundantly evident that he was encouraged in his promotion from one show to the next by individuals who worked closely with him.
“It’s been made very obvious that there were many who opined, ‘We’re not convinced this man should be given these roles,’ yet we demonstrate how he persisted in his employment at the BBC, appearing on shows like Top of the Pops, Jim’ll Fix It, and a religious program. Thus, I believe it is very evident that no one was posing the proper queries to get the appropriate responses.
“There wasn’t any ‘let’s not put that in because it’s awkward,'” executive producer Jeff Pope echoed. It was simply not the narrative we were telling. How did he do what he did, and why did we allow him to do it? is the piece’s central question.
Neil McKay, the writer of the script, has a history of working on dramas centered around figures like serial killer Stephen Port and the Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
Reflecting on the significance of the story, McKay says, “There’s no greater tale that serves as a warning to people about sexual offenses and groomers.”
Although Savile’s assaults aren’t shown on screen, the moments leading up to them are depicted. The drama is accompanied by a menacing soundtrack, creating a continuous sense of threat.
The series portrays traumatized victims who are often dismissed or not taken seriously. When concerns are raised, one character brushes it off with a casual “It’s just Jimmy being Jimmy.”
Neil McKay highlights that during Savile’s prime, few people were familiar with the term “grooming.” He suggests, “We know a bit more now, but not enough, and Savile’s story is the ultimate grooming story.”
The series includes imagined conversations, like Savile grappling with his actions in light of his Catholic faith, and dramatizations of real-life events, such as his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006 and the subsequent police interview prompted by victims coming forward.
The lack of consequences for Savile’s actions is a source of frustration for many. However, bringing his story to the screen is seen as a way to raise awareness and prevent similar cases in the future.
As the series concludes, a real-life victim speaks for many, pleading, “Please don’t let this ever happen again.”