{"id":37795,"date":"2023-10-10T14:04:54","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T12:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1904722"},"modified":"2023-10-10T14:08:26","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T12:08:26","slug":"the-reckoning-boss-says-series-isnt-the-bbc-marking-its-own-homework","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/the-reckoning-boss-says-series-isnt-the-bbc-marking-its-own-homework\/","title":{"rendered":"The Reckoning boss says series \u2018isn\u2019t the BBC marking its own homework\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The BBC employed Jimmy Savile for more than 40 years. <\/p>

By Morgan Cormack\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 10 October 2023 at 12:04 PM<\/p>

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Even before it aired, the BBC\u2019s latest factual drama, The Reckoning<\/a>, was shrouded in controversy \u2013 mainly due to the fact that many felt the BBC shouldn\u2019t be the broadcaster at the helm of such a drama.<\/p>\n

The new four-part series tracks the life of disgraced former BBC presenter and DJ Jimmy Savile, who is played by Steve Coogan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking about the BBC\u2019s involvement in the series,\u00a0writer Neil McKay and Jeff Pope<\/a>, executive producers for ITV Studios, were asked what research they did about the broadcaster and who they spoke to.<\/p>\n

Pope said: \u201cThis series has been commissioned by the BBC and we\u2019ve had their support throughout the process \u2013 but Neil, myself and the production team are not BBC employees.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to note that we\u2019re working for ITV Studios and the series has been made by ITV Studios, which is demonstrably and historically independent of the BBC, so this series is not a case of the BBC marking its own homework.\u201d<\/p>

In addition to Pope\u2019s comments, McKay said: \u201cI second that. I felt no censorship from the BBC. There have, of course, been discussions throughout this process about sensitivities towards the people Savile abused and how best to minimise causing distress, but that was it when it comes to what the series covers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been no censorship on us as programme makers whatsoever, which might surprise some people \u2013 but it is, of course, entirely right when the BBC was such an integral part of the Savile story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Steve\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC\/ITV Studios\/Matt Squire<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

In terms of who they were in contact with, McKay also said: \u201cWe spoke to producers and production staff involved in Savile\u2019s BBC programmes, plus survivors, such as Kevin and Susan, who featured on those shows (Jim\u2019ll Fix It and Savile\u2019s Travels respectively), in order to gain a comprehensive picture of his BBC career.<\/p>\n

\u201cSavile\u2019s time and his crimes at the BBC are also so extensively covered in the Dame Janet Smith report, which was a vital source for us and is on public record, and there\u2019s a lot of material about the BBC in Dan Davies<\/a>\u2019s book, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n