BBC’s new Jimmy Savile drama starring Steve Coogan is set to include testimonies of his victims.
The Reckoning, which will depict Savile’s history of engaging in pedophile activities, will feature interviews with four victims who went through turmoil at the hands of the disgraced TV star.
After Saville’s death in 2011, many people came forward claiming that he had molested, raped, or abused them.
Savile reportedly raped and sexually abused hundreds of victims.
In fact, he was caught on camera carrying out his lechery at least once while working for the BBC, according to a leaked draft of a report in 2016, examining his misconduct at the corporation.
As part of the duty of care in place for The Reckoning, which is written by Neil McKay and produced by Jeff Pope, the production invited numerous survivors to the set in an attempt to convince them of the responsibility they felt in ensuring the story was told sensitively.
According to The Times, victims will recall their experiences in all four episodes of the show.
In March this year, one survivor named Sam Brown, who was repeatedly abused by Seville, revealed what it was like seeing Coogan in character as her abuser.
— (PA Archive)
She told Deadline she knew she would be approached by Coogan after he had finished filming a scene in Cheshire, but was not prepared for the “powerful” reaction she’d have to seeing him.
“As he was walking towards me, in my head I was thinking, ‘No, go away.’ I kept thinking, ‘Go away.’”
Brown said that she thought she was keeping these thoughts in her head, but then realised she was speaking the words without realising she was doing so.
“Seemingly this wasn’t kept in my head,” she continued. “I was saying all of this and didn’t realise I was bloody saying it. I was so embarrassed.”
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Brown, who previously discussed the abuse she suffered in Netflix documentary Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story, said that seeing Coogan in character was “difficult”.
She added: “The voice was the thing that gave me a proper shock, I’ve got to be honest. And I don’t get shocked by much anymore because I try my hardest not to – but that was difficult.”
If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here.
