Meet The Reckoning cast in BBC’s Jimmy Savile drama and their real life characters

The Reckoning makes its highly anticipated debut tonight at 9pm on BBC One, with its portrayal of Jimmy Saville’s heinous crimes reenacted in the controversial drama.  

Written by Neil McKay and executive produced by Jeff Pope, the four-part series will trace paedophile Savile’s life through the decades. 

When alive, the sex offender was one of the BBC‘s most popular presenters and figureheads, but was exposed as a serial abuser following his death. 

Savile used his involvement in various organisations, such as; the BBC, the Catholic church, the political sphere, charities, hospitals and prisons to legitimise himself and go undetected while sexually abusing hundreds of children and young people. 

As the public anxiously await the airing of the drama biopic, after much controversy regarding its insensitivity to survivors of Savile’s crimes, we take a look at its cast, who will be playing the prolific case’s real life characters. 

Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile

Tense: The Reckoning makes its highly anticipated debut tonight at 9pm on BBC One, with its portrayal of Jimmy Saville’s heinous crimes reenacted in the controversial drama

Disgraced: A report after Savile’s death, which saw Scotland Yard collaborate with the NSPCC, found that Savile was a ‘prolific predatory’ sex offender

Steve Coogan, 57, has taken on the role of the depraved presenter, with a preview image showing him wearing a replica of one of Savile’s colourful tracksuits while lounging in a chair and smoking a cigar.

‘It is controversial and I understand that,’ Coogan said of the documentary’s subject, per Radio Times.

‘The BBC are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, and I believe the correct choice is to be damned if they do. 

‘Broadly, it’s better to talk about something than not. The team had the right attitude and it was done with the cooperation of survivors. I think when it’s broadcast, it will vindicate itself.’

Gemma Jones as Agnes Kelly 

Food for thought: Steve Coogan films in his role of Jimmy Savile in a scene set in 1970. In the BBC drama The Reckoning he is pictured eating fish and chips with his mother Agnes on the beach alongside a camper van

Complicated: Savile with his mother, Agnes, at a Variety Club lunch, London, September 1965.

BAFTA-winning actress Gemma Jones (Marvellous) will be playing Agnes Kelly, the mother of Savile. Kelly passed away in 1972, so her involvement will last until Savile reaches 46 years old. 

This leaves a considerable length of time following her death, during which Savile committing his crimes. 

Savile’s relationship with his mother, who he referred to as ‘The Duchess’, was not straightforward. 

He claimed that was unable to give him much affection when he was growing up, but hinted at some understanding between mother and son, saying that after she raised him for the first half of his life, he raised her as he became older and more independent. 

In a 2011 interview with The Sunday People, via The Daily Record, Savile said: ‘My mother never got round to being proud. If anyone said, ‘What is Jimmy like?’ she would say, ‘I don’t know what he’s up to, but he’s up to something’.

‘She never trusted me as she thought I was going to get nicked and end up in the pokey.’

Robert Emms as Ray Teret

Emanating class: Robert Emms, known for his roles in Chernobyl and Atlantis, will play the part of Ray Teret, who was Savile’s chauffeur

Ex-Radio Caroline DJ Ray Teret (pictured) used his celebrity status in the Manchester club scene in the 1960s and 1970s to prey on many of his victims

Robert Emms, known for his roles in Chernobyl and Atlantis, will play the part of Ray Teret, who was Savile’s chauffeur.

The pair became so close that people referred to Teret as Savile’s ‘shadow’ and is reported to have driven the star in 1960s, a claim he denied.

He used his celebrity status in the Manchester club scene in the 1960s and 1970s to prey on many of his victims.

In 2014, he was found guilty of seven counts of rape and 11 counts of indecent assault on girls as young as 13 years of age.

Teret died in 2021 at the age of 79 following a battle with cancer.  

Michael Jibson as Bill Cotton 

Boss: Former Head of Light Entertainment for the BBC, Bill Cotton, is played by Michael Jibson (left)

Tied: Bill Cotton played a part in overseeing shows such as Morecambe and Wise, the Two Ronnies, Porridge, Monty Python and Dad’s Army.

Olivier Award-winning actor Jibson will play the part of Bill Cotton, who was the BBC’s Head of Light Entertainment when Savile worked for the broadcaster as a DJ. 

He played a part in overseeing shows such as Morecambe and Wise, the Two Ronnies, Porridge, Monty Python and Dad’s Army. 

Jibson’s acting career has seen him appear in a variety of series and films, such as Les Miserables, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 1917, and The Riot Club.

He has also appeared in Honour (2020) and Four Lives (2022).

Mark Lewis Jones as Charles Hullighan

Poise: Mark Lewis Jones plays Charles Hulligan, who was a friend of Savile and a head hospital porter.

READ MORE: How did Jimmy Savile get found out? A timeline of the paedophile BBC DJ’s horrific sex crimes that took years to expose due to TV star’s unequivocal influence

Mark Lewis Jones plays Charles Hulligan, who was a friend of Savile and a head hospital porter.

Lewis Jones’ appearances on-screen include stints on the set of Holby City, Murphy’s Law, and Torchwood.

He also featured in the first season of popular fantasy drama Game Of Thrones, where played the role of hill tribe leader, Shagga.

Are any survivors of abuse taking part in the series?

Four survivors of Savile’s crimes – who have contributed to The Reckoning will also feature in the series – and were interviewed on camera to offer their further insight and reflect on their experiences.

The BBC said it has ‘worked closely with many people whose lives were impacted by Savile.’

The series has been considered controversial and come in for criticism for the way in which it could trigger past memories for Savile’s victims, coming at a time when the BBC has also greenlit a drama series on the tragic Grenfell fire. 

BBC content boss Charlotte Moore said the broadcaster will not ‘censor’ respected writers who want to make shows about these controversial subjects, while former BBC Drama Director Piers Wenger, who greenlit The Reckoning, previously claimed there is a ‘public interest’ in making the show. 

The BBC also said The Reckoning will ‘use drama’s unique ability to place events in their emotional and historical context.’

The broadcaster said it has ‘worked closely with many people whose lives were impacted by Savile.’ 

The Reckoning will air on BBC One from Monday, October 9 with all episodes available to watch on BBC iPlayer. 

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