Jimmy Savile, the TV series
BBC faces victims’ fury over new drama
THE BBC was facing a backlash last night over plans for a drama miniseries about the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Lawyers for his victims questioned whether it was right for the corporation to make the programme considering it ‘facilitated’ the paedophile DJ’s crimes.
The BBC said yesterday the show, called The Reckoning, will tell the story of the presenter’s rise and the sexual abuse scandal that emerged after his death. It will air on BBC1.
Richard Scorer, an abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, which represented 169 of Savile’s victims, said: ‘It is potentially very insensitive for the same organisation which facilitated and helped cover up Savile’s abuse to dramatise his life.
‘Survivors still battle every day with the impact of Savile’s abuse and this risks reopening these wounds. The BBC must tread extremely carefully and consider the potential harm.’
Peter Garsden, of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers, said it was an example of ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’.
He added: ‘It would be like the police producing their own documentary about how ineptly they dealt with a criminal situation. If the mini-series appears to paint the BBC whiter than white, I’m sure it will simply anger and antagonise the victims. They will want to make sure it’s done properly.’
A source close to some victims warned against a ‘sensationalist rehash’ of their experience.
In February 2016 Dame Janet Smith published a review that found the BBC missed opportunities to stop Savile’s ‘monstrous’ abuse. She identified 72 victims in connection with his work at the corporation.
Piers Wenger, controller of BBC drama, said yesterday: ‘We do not intend to sensationalise these crimes but to give voice to his victims.
‘We will work with survivors to ensure their stories are told with sensitivity and respect.’