Is The Reckoning out now? How to watch Jimmy Savile drama, release date and time for BBC One and iPlayer

The BBC’s controversial drama series about the terrible crimes of one of its own stars has been a long time coming.

First announced in October 2020, production on The Reckoning has been met with criticism at almost every step. Jimmy Savile’s crimes are beyond imagining - he is believed to have sexually abused more than 400 victims, many of whom were children.

What’s more, he committed these crimes whilst also being celebrated as one of the BBC’s biggest stars for decades, and it was only after Savile’s death in 2011 that his history of abuse came to light. 

For these reasons, the drama has been a subject of controversy, and there have been persistent rumours that it was being delayed due to fear of the outrage the show, starring comedy legend Steve Coogan as Savile, could provoke.

However, three years after it was first announced, The Reckoning is finally available to watch - this is where you can watch the show online and on TV:

Is The Reckoning out now?

Yes, although it has not yet aired on BBC One, The Reckoning is already available to watch in the UK online for free.

All four episodes were released on BBC iPlayer on Monday morning and are available to stream now - each episode is one hour long.

What is The Reckoning about?

The Reckoning follows Jimmy Savile’s career and his horrendous crimes that he committed under the protection of his celebrity status for half a century.

This is the BBC synopsis of each episode:

• Episode 1: In the 60s, Jimmy Savile became famous as a DJ in the dance halls of Leeds and Manchester.
• Episode 2: Savile engineers more opportunities to further conceal his abusive behaviour.
• Episode 3: How Savile’s status allowed to silence the victims of his crimes.
• Episode 4: How Savile avoided prosecution for his crimes during his lifetime.

When will The Reckoning air on BBC One?

As well as being released in full on iPlayer, The Reckoning will also air on BBC One. The first episode will air at 9pm on Monday 9 October. Episode two will air at the same time on Tuesday 10 October. 

The third episode will air at 9pm on Monday 16 and the final episode at 9pm on Tuesday 17.

Where can you watch Jimmy Savile documentaries?

The Reckoning is the first mainstream drama series about the Jimmy Savile scandal, but several documentaries about the paedophile’s crimes have been made.

Two part series Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story is available to watch on Netflix now.

Additionally, the Louis Theroux special documentary, Savile, made after the allegations against Savile came out, revisits an earlier documentary he made with the star and explores how he was beguiled by the star. The special is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.