The series has been in development for three years.
Steve Coogan’s controversial factual drama about the crimes of disgraced television personality Jimmy Savile finally has a premiere date.
The programme has provoked a concerned reaction from some, who have questioned whether such a dark and painful true story is appropriate for such a retelling.
As a result, The Reckoning has spent a long time in production, with a planned release in 2022 reportedly being delayed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Reckoning is now confirmed to be making its debut on BBC One and iPlayer at 9pm on Monday 9th October 2023, with the second episode airing at the same time on the following night.
The project has been defended by its star, Coogan, who urged commentators to “see it before you judge it”, adding that the series aims to offer “important” insight into how Savile got away with his crimes.
“There’s this strong, strange feeling towards it; one of wanting to put it behind us, not wanting to talk about it and, as a rule, I think it’s better to talk about it,” he told BBC Breakfast last year.
He added: “By not talking about it, you don’t get to the nub of that and if you don’t look at it you’re destined for those things to happen again. The drama answers the question: how did he get away with it?
“The drama answers that question which is a very important one.”
The Reckoning is written by Neil McKay, whose past credits include other true crime dramas, including Four Lives and Appropriate Adult.
The supporting cast includes Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley), Gemma Jones (Gentleman Jack), Mark Stanley (The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe), Robert Emms (Andor) and Mark Lewis Jones (Gangs of London).
The Reckoning premieres on BBC One and iPlayer on Monday 9th October 2023. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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