The Reckoning official trailer

The BBC dramatisation of the life of sexual predator Jimmy Savile is set to air next week, with actor and comedian Steve Coogan playing the disgraced radio DJ and television personality.

The series’ producer, Jeff Pope, has commented on the impact that Steve’s “startling resemblance” to Savile had on the victims during filming.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Jeff explained that Steve’s background on Spitting Image had made him “an accomplished mimic.”

But when he was in costume as Savile, he also bore a “startling physical resemblance” to him.

Many of Savile’s victims visited the set of the four-part BBC drama, which was created by ITV Studios, and they were stunned by Steve’s “extraordinary similarity” to the prolific sex offender.

READ MORE Steve Coogan looks unrecognisable as Jimmy Savile in chilling look at BBC drama

He outlined: “When we had victims on set – at their request and with all safeguarding support in place – Steve would come round the corner and you could feel the intake of breath.”

The actor and comedian would make a marked point of saying to them “‘I’m Steve,’” during filming, Jeff described.

There were also times when the producer would have lunch with the star where he was looking at “someone who looked like Jimmy Savile but sounded like Steve”.

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Steve also admitted, when appearing on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, that even though there had been “great deal of antipathy” toward him playing the disgraced presenter, the script was “very intelligent” and “was done in consultation with many of the victims.”

He continued: “They came along to the shoot and their story was encompassed into the story of Jimmy Savile.”

While he concluded: “I think with all these things, generally speaking, it’s better to talk about them than not talk about them.”

It was a year after Savile’s death in 2011 that ITV’s Exposure: the Other Side of Jimmy Savile first exposed allegations of serious sexual assaults on children and adults, which triggered multiple investigations.

It soon became apparent that Savile’s position in a number of different organisations – including the BBC, hospitals, prisons and charities – allowed him to commit and conceal his crimes over a span of several decades.

Viewers will need to tune in to see Steve’s portrayal and exactly what will be covered over the course of the four episodes.

The Reckoning starts on BBC One at 9pm on Monday October 9.

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