The Reckoning: Jimmy Savile - BBC1 9 Oct SPOILERS

[YokoOnosBigHat]

I couldn't see a thread for the five part drama The Reckoning starring Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile, so thought I'd start one.

I'm in bed with Covid so have decided to start watching. Half an hour into the first episode and I can safely already say that Coogan's performance is extraordinary. The voice, the mannerisms, they're amazing.

For anyone interested and who isn't familiar, the framing device of Savile telling his life story for an author interested in writing a book is based around Dan Davies's research for his account 'In Plain Sight'. Well worth a read for anyone who wants to know more about how the establishment wilfully ignored what was going on right under their noses.

Interesting article on the drama by Mark Lawson for The Guardian here and Lawson's account of how he tried and failed to report Savile at the BBC in 2006 here.

Look forward to discussing this all. Have marked it as spoilers as all parts are on iPlayer and are there really any spoilers possible for this story?!

Very good programe I like seeing how it went from the early 60s.
Just very creepy and sick of course. I'm surprised they had him so long on TOTP s as his look was so not with the times or trendy. He must have made threats behind the scenes.
I did find it interesting that the boss BBC at first wasn't sure to hire him.. so he may have never been particularly famous!
Unless that was a lie.

There is one I watched before this

I'm half way through. It's very uncomfortable viewing but I think it's important that this story doesn't get forgotten in order for it to never happen again.

Incredible acting from Steve Coogan. I noticed the scene when he meets Margaret Thatcher for the first time and he looks directly at the camera for a millisecond. A technique sometimes used in horror films eg. Jack Nickleson in the shining. It's makes the viewer feel incredibly uncomfortable, it gave me chills when he did it.

There's a documentary on Netflix at the moment. Haven't seen it so can't be more specific, just noticed it listed. I think this programme does have value. Savile was a man whose aura radiated thuggery. He cultivated that, it was part of his ability to control those who he used. It's useful to see this portrayed in this way, with any glamour removed. I have no idea why politicians, clergy and royals can have been so easily hoodwinked by him, I dont understand it. Apparently he offered marriage guidance to Charles and Diana 😯 Utterly mind boggling. If it serves as a warning to young women and parents then it's useful. I never met Savile, if I had it wouldn't happen twice. I did bump into Rolf Harris with my 9 year old daughter, she was utterly starstruck, he was lovely to her, I would have trusted him without a second thought. So reminders to be aware are useful. Plenty of similar people out there.

I worked as a runner in BBC Light Entertainment in the early 1990s. I worked on the likes of TOTP. I left after 18 months, precisely because of the toxic culture. The Talent were all on pedestals and completely untouchable. I saw many a producer bowing and scraping!

I was on the lowest rung and we were trained to cater for their every whim. If the talent wanted something - you got it. If they were late to the studio - it was your fault, not theirs. I knew I deserved better and got out! I can completely see how he got away with things for so long.

Interestingly when the whole Saville thing exploded, I was sent a letter by the BBC, saying that as I worked in the studios during the time he was still presenting, to get in touch if there was anything I would like the inquiry to know. Fortunately I never came across him.

Rolf Harris on the other hand I did come across - and there is a very strange story there, but I couldn't put it here for fear of the DM getting hold of it. It wasn't anything which affected me, thankfully... but again it was VERY strange behaviour towards a young female and definitely in plain sight!!

From this programme he definitely made threats behind the scenes. He was devastated when Fix It was axed but you could see he was making threats about it being cancelled and so on, whose head would roll etc even though it was a done deal.

The last TOTP I can’t recall if I watched it by then but I’m sure I was into clubbing by then (quite glam too). There is no way Savile would ever have been of interest to me and would’ve been seen as an old man, whether dirty or not, I don’t think it even occurred to me!

To the PP who asked if that funeral was real, I remember it bringing Leeds city centre to a standstill, and beforehand he was laid in state so to speak, in the gold casket, in a hotel, with the public filing past to pay their respects.

He was buried in Scarborough with a vast, gaudy headstone.
It was clear when his crimes were initially reported soon afterwards, that there was no room for doubt, as the headstone was demolished. I think his body was exhumed but don’t recall details. There was, very swiftly, an absolute deluge of victims coming forward.

I always found his catchphrases, his hair, tracksuits and jewellery dated and odd. He seemed so out of place next to the other TOTP presenters, I wondered why they kept him on.

The arrogance and entitlement, letting journalists like Louis Theroux and Dan Davies into his sphere, his baiting, is staggering. I agree; Steve Coogan has delivered a very skilled piece of acting here.

My thoughts are with all who suffered, then and now. Recent events suggest the entertainment industry hasn’t learned.

Was he exhumed? I thought they just removed the headstone? Wasn't he in a leadlined coffin?

Just watching the last bit. I'm guessing the porter scene is some wishful thinking? I don't like it.

I knew about Rolf Harris many years ago, a good friend told me he wasn't someone you leave your daughter anywhere near,so when it came out 25 years later I wasn't surprised.

I've watched the first 3 episodes of The Reckoning,I thought it was excellent.

Wonder why he had such an odd speech pattern,it really was quite bizarre?

I suspect people close to him knew/had suspicions (and by close I mean geographically and work) and didn't really care. I remember back in the 80s /90s and IT girls, the young clubbing girls, page 3 countdowns, sleazy bosses, rape victims 'asking for it', groupies etc etc - all ways of saying that girls knew what they were doing and what did they expect.

I think it happened. Grim.

@BeverleyMacker Apologies, Googling turns up an article saying there was a campaign to have him removed but it would cost too much and ‘should have been done before his money ran out’.

I think it happened. Grim.

What the porter says in the car?

That was difficult to watch. I applaud Steve Coogans performance and my heart goes out to all the survivors of this predator.

Ignore me. Was thinking of something else.

Amazing acting in this. Brilliant with the juxtaposition of his real life victims. But very emotional viewing, was tearful at times and a couple of times felt physically sick. I still can’t believe he got away with all that. Preying on such vulnerable people.

This is a reprint of the 2012 article in the Oldie that first went public on the allegations against Savile.

https://www.theoldie.co.uk/blog/savile-row-1?fbclid=IwAR2Bn7egxymojoZUJbwA-kcEeOypLF0CVAGwpMhfvn0FDR7JBb06qcwtmQ8

It mentions that a survivor of the Duncroft school in Surrey where he abused girls said there were also 2 other celebrities (both still alive in 2012 when published) who abused girls there.

@MrsElijahMikaelson1 "Amazing acting in this. Brilliant with the juxtaposition of his real life victims."

Yeah. Must have been simply wonderful for all the other real life
victims too. Imagine the thrill seeing their abuser up there on screen acted out by a real life STAR. Prosthetic chin and all.

Agree that Steve Coogan is outstanding in this although it is a very uncomfortable watch. I like the way they've added in real life victims, it gives it even more poignancy.

I know lots of people say they found him creepy and are accused of remembering through today's lens. However I do remember wondering why he was so popular, I did like Jim'll fix it but not JS.

I was at Primary school in the 70's I remember a kid saying that Jimmy Saville had sex with dead bodies, so this information was out there if it reached my primary school playground in Coventry.

We thought that maybe Margaret Thatcher would appear in the show in a flashback or something so that would the actress playing her? I've only seen the first ep so not sure yet if that happens!

@mrstea301 "The way they are portraying his relationship with him mother is surprising to me. I thought they were freakishly close?"

That's what happens when you make things up.

@CurlewKate sorry, did you mean to quote @Allthatwegotisthispalebluedot there?

I was just responding to her question about the photo of Margaret Thatcher

I remember seeing footage of Savile and his mum where he said to her "You used to beat me" and she said "I should have beaten you more." I assume because she knew he was a wrongun.

I just read it would have cost 20 grand to exhume and no one was willing to pay. I'm sure those who visited when the stone was there will know where he is. Hoping people regularly dance on it.