Steve Coogan has spoken about his role as Jimmy Savile in the new BBC drama The Reckoning, describing the challenge of playing the notorious paedophile as a 'professional challenge' he felt compelled to take on. The actor, best known for Alan Partridge, admitted to 'great trepidation' about the potential pitfalls of the role but said he considered himself one of 'a handful of people in the country' who could play the part.
The four-part series follows Savile's career from the 1960s to his death in 2011, examining how he used his celebrity status to abuse hundreds of victims, many of them minors, while avoiding accountability. Coogan said the drama aims to answer 'the question everyone has' about why Savile was never caught, adding that he felt 'comfortable that it was being made for the right reasons'.
Coogan explained that dramatising Savile's story allows viewers to get 'under the skin' of the abuser, helping to understand how such crimes occur. 'You have to show the things that perhaps initially seem counterintuitive,' he said. 'He was charismatic, undoubtedly, because that was part of the Trojan horse that he created.'
The actor noted that Savile built an 'elaborate machine' over 30 years, using a 'court jester character' as armour that even reputable journalists struggled to penetrate. The series dramatises interviews with biographer Dan Davies, whose conversations with Savile provide a narrative device to explore the entertainer's life and lies.
Coogan, who previously impersonated Savile comedically, said his process for the sinister portrayal was straightforward: 'I've got quite a good ear, and as an actor I didn't really treat Jimmy Savile differently from any other role.' He acknowledged the weight of responsibility but insisted the drama serves to prevent future abuse.
