THE horrendous crimes of the once beloved TV presenter Jimmy Savile shocked the nation when they came to light after his death.
Sadly he never faced justice for his truly sickening behaviour, and now BBC drama The Reckoning examines how he hid it in plain sight.
Who is in the cast of the BBC's The Reckoning?
The Reckoning traces the life of Jimmy Savile, a man who, for decades, became one of the UK’s most influential celebrities.
However, after his death he became one of the most reviled figures in modern history following revelations of extensive and horrific abuse.
The series explores how Savile used his celebrity and powerful connections to conceal his crimes and exploit institutional failings.
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The Reckoning looks at how he was able to hide in plain sight and evade justice.
Steve Coogan as Jimmy Saville
Evil Jimmy Savile is played by actor Steve Coogan.
Speaking about the role, he told the BBC : "I've played a number of real people and in some ways I didn't treat him any differently.
"I feel an overwhelming sense of revulsion about Jimmy Savile and the way he operated, but I put my personal revulsion to one side to play him convincingly because the risk with not doing that is him coming across as a sort of pantomime villain, which would lack credibility and therefore not do this justice.
"It had to be grounded and believable. In terms of performance, I like to take physical things - the way someone dresses, the way they talk, and the way they move - and assimilate all that to try and find who they are and use that as a way to get inside their skin."
You probably know actor Steve for his character Alan Partridge, but he's also had many serious roles, notably the ITV drama Stephen, based on the investigation into Stephen Lawrence's murder.
Robert Emms as Ray Teret
Ray Teret, a former Radio Caroline DJ who revelled in nicknames like The Rat and "Ugly Ray", was taken under Savile's wing in the 1960s.
He then used the evil Top of the Pops star's celebrity status to prey on a host of young girls.
Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard he followed Savile "like a shadow" and drove girls to evil Savile's lair where they abused them together.
He was finally arrested in 2012 after the Savile scandal finally emerged and jailed for 25 years in December 2014.
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Evil Teret died in jail in 2021.
In The Reckoning the sick former DJ is played by Happy Valley star Robert Emms.
The actor is also known for the movies War Horse and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Michael Jibson as Bill Cotton
The late BBC boss Bill Cotton is played by actor Michael Jibson.
The actor has also enjoyed an impressive film and TV career.
On the big screen his credits included Les Miserables, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 1917, and The Riot Club.
On T.V Michael is known for Honour (2020) and Four Lives (2022).
Gemma Jones as Agnes Savile
Agnes Savile was Jimmy's mum, and he was the youngest of her seven kids.
In The Reckoning, she is played by Bridget Jones’s Diary actress Gemma Jones, appearing in the first two episodes of the series.
The actress' other big movie roles include the Harry Potter movies, and Rocketman.
Mark Lewis Jones as Charles Hullighan
Mark Lewis Jones plays Jimmy's friend and head hospital porter Charles Hulligan.
Actor Mark has appeared in a number of TV shows including Holby City, Murphy's Law, and Torchwood.
He appeared in the first season of hit fantasy drama Game Of Thrones as Shagga, the hill tribe leader.
Other cast includes:
- Julian Rhind-Tutt as Matt Squire
- Mark Stanley as Dan Davies
- Siobhan Finneran as Beryl
How can I watch The Reckoning?
The Reckoning kicks off TONIGHT (October 9, 2023) at 9pm on BBC One.
The second episode will then air tomorrow at the same time.
The final two episodes will then be screened at 9pm next Monday and Tuesday (October 16 and 17, 2023).
However, if you want to watch all the episodes right now, the full boxset for The Reckoning is on the BBC iPlayer.
