Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: UK News, TV and Film, Jimmy Savile, BBC
Tom Wood
Viewers have been angered after the trailer for a show about Jimmy Savile starring Steve Coogan was released. Here is that trailer:
To be fair, everyone knows that Jimmy Savile was an absolute monster, but that surely doesn’t mean that no TV show can ever be made about him, right?
After all, they make hundreds of TV shows and movies about World War Two and about Adolf Hitler, and the True Crime genre has never been more popular.
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Still, the trailer for the new Savile drama, called The Reckoning, has attracted a lot of attention and been slated on social media for ‘dramatizing’ the actions of the disgraced TV presenter.
Of course, we all know that it’s tough to think about this sort of stuff, and there will still be people alive for whom the actions of the paedophile beast will be very real, but that hasn’t stopped BBC from making a show starring Steve Coogan as Savile.
Despite the BBC’s claims that they’ve been as careful as possible, some people clearly aren’t happy about the series.
Taking to TikTok, people expressed their opinions on the newly released trailer, with one comment reading: “Why would you even make a programme about this?”
“I think it’s awful that they’ve dramatised [sic] it,” said another. “He doesn’t deserve any more publicity at all.”
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A third said: “His voice…oh my god. Must have been such a challenge to tackle this, I’m surprised BBC have done this.”
However, another comment wrote: “Sad as it is, it is a story that should be told and I think Steve Coogan is from what I see on this trailer perfect.”
In a YouTube synopsis of the show, BBC wrote: “The four-part series will trace the life of Jimmy Savile, a man who, for decades, became one of the UK’s most influential celebrities, but in death has become one of the most reviled figures of modern history following revelations of extensive and horrific abuse.
“Savile used his involvement in multiple organisations, such as the BBC, hospitals, prisons, and charities, to legitimise himself, forging friendships in showbusiness, politics, journalism, the Catholic Church and even the Royal family to cement his position.
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“Using drama’s unique ability to place events in their emotional and historical context, the series will explore how Savile used his celebrity and powerful connections to conceal his crimes and exploit institutional failings.
“It is important to understand how he was able to hide in plain sight in order to gain a greater understanding of how he evaded justice.
“The drama aims to highlight the importance of confronting the horrors of the past and talking openly about abuse.”
Explaining how they went about tackling such a sensitive and raw subject, the statement continued: “The team have worked closely with many people whose lives were impacted by Savile to ensure their experiences are told and reflected with sensitivity and respect, and the drama will also draw on extensive, wide-ranging research and published accounts.
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“It will examine the impact his appalling crimes had on his victims, and the powerlessness many felt when they tried to raise the alarm.
“Four survivors of Savile who have contributed to The Reckoning will also feature in the series, interviewed on camera to offer their further insight and to reflect on their experiences in the hope that the telling of their stories will prevent something like it happening again.”
The Reckoning will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on October 9.
LADbible has contacted the BBC for comment.