Louis Theroux Interviews poster© Ryan McNamara

Louis Theroux reacts to Jimmy Savile drama The Reckoning after famous interview with disgraced star

Louis Theroux revisited his time with Jimmy back in 2016

TV & Film Editor
October 30, 2023

Louis Theroux is back with his hugely popular series Louis Theroux Interviews in November, where he will be sitting down with stars including Anthony Joshua, Chelsea Manning, Joan Collins and Raye. The documentarian has made some incredible shows over the years, with his most famous show perhaps being his chat with Jimmy Savile before the disgraced star’s death in 2011 - and the subsequent revelations that he was a serial sex offender.

Louis then made a second documentary about Jimmy in 2016, where he reflected on his time spent with him, and how he had managed to fool a nation. Chatting to HELLO! and other reporters ahead of season two of Louis Theroux Interviews, Louis opened up about his thoughts on the new BBC drama series The Reckoning, and Steve Coogan’s portrayal as the entertainer. 

WATCH: Steve Coogan transforms into Jimmy Savile for The Reckoning

When asked if he thought the show was made in bad taste, he said: "I can't judge on whether it's in bad taste.

I watched episode one. What struck me was that it was they attempted to scrupulously adhere to the facts.

"I could actually recognise incidents from the primary sources, whether they were reports from inquiries that lead general infirmary or an account of an incident at a nightclub that Jimmy Savile himself told me about when I was filming with him and obviously from Dan Davies's book In Plain Sight." 

louis theroux
Louis is back for a second series

He added: "I thought [Steve Coogan’s] portrayal was excellent and I thought the writing in terms of, at least in terms of the quality of speech, the way in which the character, Jimmy Savile expressed himself in the program felt was very true to life."

© Matt Squire
Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning

Louis’ show will be back on 7 November when he interviews Anthony Joshua, and the star revealed that there had actually been some celebrity dropouts while planning season two. He told HELLO! and other reporters: "I don’t think I can say who [droppedo out] but I think I could say, sometimes it's totally understandable as in mental health issues. Sometimes it's less understandable and the reasons appear to be more mysterious. 

© Ryan McNamara
Louis and Anthony on season two

"Sometimes it's to do with a requirement that the person has some sort of editorial approval. And that just can't happen… We listen, we'll correct things and I will take reasonable concerns on board…. I don't believe in being an [expletive] about it… but that being said, we can't actually say, ‘Oh, if you don't like it, we’ll change. At that point, it becomes a totally different exercise." 

Louis Theroux Interviews Series 2 is on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two from Tuesday 7 November at 9pm.

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