First Look At Steve Coogan As Jimmy Savile In BBC's The Reckoning

The first photos of Steve Coogan in character as Jimmy Savile have been released.

The actor is currently filming new BBC drama The Reckoning, which will centre on how the paedophile DJ was able to get away with his horrific crimes for decades without being caught.

In a couple of pictures taken from the set, Coogan can be seen wearing a jester's outfit alongside what appears to be a nurse.

Eamonn and James Clarke

Speaking previously about the role, the Alan Partridge star said it wasn't a decision he had taken lightly.

He said: "To play Jimmy Savile was not a decision I took lightly.

"Neil McKay has written an intelligent script tackling sensitively a horrific story which, however harrowing, needs to be told."

A source also told The Sun: "It's an unlikely casting in a way but Steve has shown an ability to take on serious roles.

"It is certainly a brave decision on his part."

Eamonn and James Clarke

Savile's crimes only came to light after his death in 2011, when hundreds of survivors bravely came forward to share their stories about the abuses they suffered at his hands.

And when the mini-series was announced, there were some concerns raised as to whether it was in poor taste to dramatise the heinous acts of the dead TV presenter.

However, according to the BBC, the series has been made with "sensitivity and respect".

Director Sandra Goldbacher said: "The Reckoning is a unique opportunity to give Savile's survivors, the people who inspired this project, a voice.

PA

"I feel sure that Steve Coogan's powerful performance as Savile will create a debate around how the cult of celebrity cloaked him from scrutiny."

Over the course of his career, which saw him get knighted in 1990, Savile was able to act with impunity, with the survivors having no one to turn to.

In 2016, an independent investigation found that the BBC missed opportunities to stop Savile's 'monstrous' abuse as there was a 'culture of fear'.

In a statement last year announcing the drama, the BBC said: "Savile, an eccentric showman, the youngest of seven siblings, used his involvement in multiple organisations, such as hospitals, prisons, charities and the BBC, to legitimise himself.

"The drama will explore the way he used smoke and mirrors to conceal his wrongdoings."

Topics: UK Entertainment

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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