The Reckoning: Why This Biopic Is Shrouded in Controversy

Jimmy Savile was a monster in eccentric clothes. His biopic is dredging up old wounds.

There are some news stories that take people’s breath away for all the wrong reasons. No case has been more shocking than that of Jimmy Savile. Now, nearly ten years after the truth came out about this supposed paragon of virtue, ITV will be airing a biopic about the troubled star.

The Reckoning brings back years-old trauma for many people. But why is the story of this once-beloved presenter so disturbing? And why do many people want The Reckoning to never see the light of day?

James Savile was a DJ, television presenter, and personality in the UK for nearly fifty years. Most people knew him as a bit of an eccentric with a fondness for red sweatsuits and colored glasses and as a wonderfully giving man.

But Jimmy had a monumental secret. During his life, he had been called out as an abuser by multiple people but successfully sued using defamation laws that are common in the UK. Yet after his death, it very quickly became apparent that he did, in fact, have a secret life. It came to light that over the course of his life, he had sexually abused hundreds of people, both children, and adults, many of whom resided in hospitals that he frequented.

This revelation sent shock waves throughout the country. The man who was a champion of children on shows like Jim’ll Fix It, and a champion of humanitarian charities had never been prosecuted for his crimes. In fact, following his death, it became even worse when the BBC uncovered the fact that some of his behavior was a well-known secret in some corners of the industry.

Savile’s memory was completely defamed, and rightly so, for what he did. The shows he presented have been pulled from reruns, many of his honors have been posthumously rescinded, and his estate has been in legal battles with victims. He may have raised millions for charity, but he also did irreparable damage to generations of people that trusted and adored him.

The Reckoning is a retelling of the Jimmy Savile story starring Steve Coogan (Tropic Thunder) as Savile. It will be shown in a four-part series on the BBC and will document the scandal. The limited series will also feature Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley) and Mark Lewis Jones (Outlander).

BAFTA-winning actress Gemma Jones (Marvellous) will be playing Agnes Kelly, the mother of Savile. Kelly passed away in 1972, so her involvement will last until Savile reaches 46 years old. This will leave quite a bit of time for him to have been committing his crimes. By all accounts, his mother knew nothing about his issues, and therefore she may simply be in the series due to her being such a large influence on his life.

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The film will also feature Robert Emms (Atlantis) as Ray Teret, a colleague of Savile’s and former DJ arrested and jailed for sexual assault against a minor. There are many stories of the two men having possibly conspired in their illicit behaviors. The film is not a documentary but a biopic that will follow the life of Savile, and that will most likely delve into his post-death controversy.

Aside from the series focusing on such a terrible person, there are other controversies that surround the production.

One of the most insidious pieces is that the victims are now being forced to relive the trauma they went through at the hands of this man. The series will likely be watched by the majority of English audiences and will create a stir and place a new spotlight on the victims. There are always people who victim-shame, and they will undoubtedly come out of the woodwork for this particular piece.

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The outcry is similar (though not in scope) to the Dahmer series that aired on Netflix to high acclaim. Victims were not overly excited to see their story splashed on the screen, with the main character being played by a likable actor. These biopics often create scenes out of whole cloth due to the lack of actual recordings. This leads to misconceptions and dredges up controversies and feelings that many believe are better left buried.

Another issue is that the series will be airing on the BBC. The problem is that the BBC was Savile’s employer for most of his career. Nearly all of his shows aired on their channels, and the fact that they would now profit off of his crimes seems excessively crude, not to mention the fact that they hired Steve Coogan, a well-known comic actor, to play the role of Savile.

Though many have said they will boycott the show, others are transfixed by the idea of learning more about this once-beloved presenter. They are unsure what they will see and want to know if the man who was once their hero was as bad as they say. It is as if they will not want it to be true until they are shown it in a television show.

The fact is that Jimmy Savile led a double life that destroyed the lives of many others. His legacy is tarnished no matter what the show presents as fact.

The Reckoning will air in 2023 on the BBC.