'I thought long and hard about it': Steve Coogan speaks out about casting in controversial Jimmy Savile drama
8 October 2023, 23:53 | Updated: 9 October 2023, 12:49
Steve Coogan has opened up about making the decision to play notorious paedophile Jimmy Savile in a new BBC drama.
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Speaking about his part in the four-part series The Reckoning which begins tonight on BBC One, the Alan Partridge creator said: "I thought long and hard about it.
"I didn't say yes straight away. But it was very well written.
Coogan added: "The supporting cast was exemplary. It had all the things in place to make it worthwhile and not exploitative.
"I felt like I could do it."
Of the prolific sexual predator, Coogan said: "He provokes a very real revulsion. When I said I was doing it, a lot of people were wondering why I was doing it.
"He was a fascinating man and was able to hoodwink a whole nation because he was so famous and successful.
Read More: Who was Jimmy Savile? What were his crimes and how did they come to light?
"And at the time, was well loved by people before they discovered the awful truth about him."
He added: "I'm of the mind that to prevent these things happened again, we need to look at them.
"It's an uncomfortable process.
"I think the revulsion is because the whole nation was hoodwinked or if you're being less kind, complicit in enabling him to do the nefarious things he did."
Nervous BBC bosses previously pushed back the broadcast of the controversial Jimmy Savile drama amid fears of a backlash.
The Reckoning finished filming at the end of last year.The series will trace the disgraced former star's upbringing, his early career and prolific child sex offences.
But it was claimed executives are nervous about the show being aired after it was met with criticism.
A TV insider told The Sun: "It’s been three years since the BBC announced it was making this drama . . . and there’s been a fierce response from victims.
"Most dramas don’t take this long to edit and air, but they don’t want to put a foot wrong."
The BBC previously stated they have worked alongside the victims of Jimmy Savile and are focused on portraying the story with "sensitivity and respect".
Sources claimed the BBC were in a panic and they're going through the footage with a fine-tooth comb to ensure it's perfect.
