Steve Coogan impression Jimmy Savile on The James Whale TV Show

Steve Coogan impression Jimmy Savilllllle on The James Whale TV Show
See more from James Whale here
/ @jameswhaleradioshow

[@TallSilentGuy]

I had no idea Coogan and Savile even met each other; let alone appeared on screen together! This makes The Reckoning even more interesting in retrospect.

[@RoryTV1]

no it does not

[@anthonydoyle3613]

@@RoryTV1 It does seem more interesting in advance though

[@fuzzluvver69]

​@@RoryTV1Yes it does.

[@bun197]

especially since the reckoning heavily skews actual events to make it seem like the BBC were totally ignorant when infact everyone there knew

[@nobull9541]

Yes it does, wtf is the matter with you?

[@user-in5wl1xr2m]

I love the sarcasm in Coogans voice 'Well you know, the grapevine'

[@gary1961]

Even Marvin Gaye had heard it through the grapevine.

[@BeardLAD]

You reckon he was parrying JS’s snub with a shot across the bow? If so, I think you’re right about the sarcasm being a subtle probe… …it also shows just how ‘open’ that grapevine must’ve been. Also, this is yet another example of JS’s psychopathic ‘cold’ disapproval displaying itself: “I’m not flattered, Steve, I’m angered.” Steve was just right.

[@Chris-dm1je]

​@gary1961 I knew that. I bet you're wondering how I knew.

[@g.s.1722]

His Savile impression is a lot better now, weird to think that 30 odd years later Jimmy wouldn’t have liked Steve’s impression of him showing his dark side!

[@ryanmcquade6157]

I still prefere huw Dennis impersonation of Jimmy Saville

[@sportspriceanalysis416]

I agree I thought it be an over the top caricature style impersonation but in 'The Reckoning' it was very very good, not overdone at all.

[@paullondon6625]

@@sportspriceanalysis416 funny, as with the two of them side by side you can actually hear here coogan's impression is more accurate here than in the docudrama.

[@bernielove3019]

Agreed I think he sounded more like saville then than now

[@nezbit8989]

That is the lottery of life, little did either of them know that Steve would be portraying savile in a drama exposing his deep dark and vile life many years later.

[@KismetMulhaneski-to3wg]

If they'd have put this in The Reckoning it would have been the most post modern thing ever

[@TallSilentGuy]

They should have saved it for the very end of the last episode; post credits!

[@anthonydoyle3613]

Who would they have playing Steve Coogan?

[@fuzzluvver69]

​@@anthonydoyle3613Stephen Mangan. 😂

[@Jettypilelegs]

😂😂

[@KismetMulhaneski-to3wg]

@@anthonydoyle3613 Michael Sheen!

[@user-fq5kg6gk1g]

Steve Coogan should win an Oscar Award for his Portrayal of Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning!!! 🏆

[@HamptonDoubledayJr]

He won an Oscar for a TV show? I doubt it, mate.

[@garyleadbitter2673]

It would have been interesting if "The Reckoning" recreated this scene with a different actor playing Coogan.

[@FromTheFens219]

Postmodernism on steroids

[@ModerateObserver]

Rob Brydon is the obvious choice to play Coogan 😆

[@ghostface7591]

That would be awesome

[@RachyRooM]

Wouldn't have to be different! Just blend the scenes together 😅

[@SarcasticPlotRecaps]

I feel like Coogan probably never wants to mention this ever again nor anyone see it lol

[@hariowen3840]

He clearly had even discussed and controlled the content of the whole discussion, even what Coogan was allowed to say in his impersonation - he even had the old photo of the relevant incident at the ready.

[@paullondon6625]

You think all chat shows are off the cuff without any coaxing? The host even asked "do an impression of jimmy"...

[@hariowen3840]

@@paullondon6625 What do you think? - never mind, I didn't really want to know anyway! 🤣

[@paullondon6625]

@@hariowen3840 then why ask? Bit sad.

[@hariowen3840]

@@paullondon6625 Ask??? - where in my comment did I ask absolutely anything? (Deluded!)

[@auditpundit1199]

@@hariowen3840 You talk bollox.!

[@psy-op]

Its clever when Steve says grapevine,

[@johnrambo4245]

Coogan did the voice of Saville on Spitting image for years

[@matthewmason1706]

This is great banter. It really is.

[@jsmith498]

Jurassic Park!

[@LO-zs3db]

@@jsmith498back of the net

[@devinthierault]

Its the implication

[@BlackestEyes709]

@@jsmith498 Back of the net!

[@Sheriff_GrimLaw]

​@@jsmith498Trite, generic and weak response.

[@JamesAHirons_]

After watching The Reckoning this seems surreal

[@Baueresque]

Doing a really bad impression of him just to piss him off, Brilliant

[@hawker1138]

The 'grapevine' comment

[@kennyf1993]

It's so weird seeing them together in the same room after watching The Reckoning.

[@hermanthetosser4219]

Oh my god they sat in the same room together!

[@rustychassis]

Steve's career really flourished and Jimmy is definitely looking much better these days.

[@LoisGriffin8]

You mean dead

[@Travis_22]

@@LoisGriffin8 Whoooosh!

[@23lnp]

You can tell a man by how well he receives a joke on himself.

[@obscurum6]

🙄

[@kmruhgrdsvrojh]

I remember when my Dad died 25 years ago turning up at my mum’s house where family and friends had gathered pre the service and my brother cracking the joke: “ay up the cabs arrived” At the time, I was on the dole and didn’t have a lot of money for new clothes so I saw the joke and laughed along, but ten years later at our mum's funeral I blew a week's wages on a Paul Smith suit and handmade Spanish dress shoes and took a pious pleasure in not passing comment on my brother’s ugly brown loafers….Ps we haven't spoken since, though that probably has more to do with the fact that as the executor of the will I was able to screw him over big time…

[@Chris-dm1je]

​@kmruhgrdsvrojh Did you screw him over because of the joke, the loafers or some other reason?

[@crashbangwhallopwhatavideo]

Needless to say, I had the last laugh

[@dorkbrandon4422]

Don't be blue peter !

[@king77703]

My neighbour used to do a brilliant Jimmy Savile impersonation until he got 20 years 👍

[@idiotsimulator8055]

😂

[@rockbun3985]

Brilliant 😂😂😂😂

[@RachyRooM]

😂😂

[@anonUK]

He should have made friends with his local police force, the PM and the Royals if he wanted to stay out of trouble.

[@invisibleman4827]

"Ok he's doing an impression of-WHAT THE FUCK IS SAVILE ACTUALLY DOING THERE???"

[@christiankreps5920]

Everyone in that studio knew. Everyone!

[@gonnahavemesomefun]

This is like a 30 year scoop in the the waiting. Thanks for sharing c👏👏

[@PeppyOoze]

Coogan knowingly distant and cold to JS.. grapevine - lol

[@Jettypilelegs]

He’s a genius and The Reckoning was a pinnacle!

[@adriang2053]

I just thought it was like watching Alan Patridge again

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

This is uncanny?! Bet Steve had no idea he would one day be interpretating him one day in a drama!!!!

[@monkeyface6139]

He's scared of him. There's a perfect example of how he got away with it for so long

[@themoderateecowarrior]

Scared of not getting anymore TV work more like

[@alanoneill3065]

just what I said...I wouldn't argue with Saville

[@dzonbrodi514]

@@alanoneill3065 Indeed, creepy fucker had real power then

[@mr.evasion]

Sir Vile clearly knew some powerful creeps...

[@Epicurwat]

@@themoderateecowarrior That's part of it, but he was brother to a major organised crime boss and not afraid to hurt people directly, either.

[@dean6816]

"Back of the net!"

[@arranboon1]

Bloody hell, I did wonder after watching The Reckoning whether they’d actually both met before. I mean, I guess they were both BBC ‘icons’ so it makes sense. Off-topic but Coogan played the role perfectly.

[@robertknight5429]

Coogan was no icon in those days!

[@howareyou857]

​@@robertknight5429he was certainly on channel 4 ALOT as a young man

[@csb7376]

The first time I can remember seeing Steve Coogan was when he did some comedy sketches for a series of The Krypton Factor which were used in the observation round. Not sure whether this was before or after that, as he looked very young in both.

[@golddustbin]

I was fascinated to see that they were in the same TV studio at least once. I'm now curious to know if Steve Coogan has mentioned meeting Savile in any of the press interviews he's done for The Reckoning and what his take was on JS at the time. Agree Steve Coogan played the role perfectly, and the series as a whole helped me better understand how JS's journey to the top was, sadly, possible.

[@howareyou857]

@@golddustbin it was probably difficult to escape being in the same studio as Savile at that point in time. He was still in the media a great deal.

[@christianhuxtable247]

😂 I thought Steve Coogan done Jimmy's Savile's voice on 'Spitting Image', That's why he was asked to do The reckoning.

[@alanoneill3065]

Saville was an intimidating guy...hard man

[@Crackhead_Jim]

And a bit noncey

[@garrybaldy327]

Strange that Steve has never brought this up during his many interviews for The Reckoning.

[@JoeyXSmith]

Theres me thinking, oh it's Coogan doing his Jimmy Savile impression again. Back in Coogan's early impression days, I've seen it before, nothing really new. Then cut to Jimmy Savile sitting in same room as him! I spat out my coffee over the fall! I wasn't expecting that!

[@MartinHiggins1972]

I bet Mark E. Smith didn't take kindly to that.

[@Travis_22]

James Whale, wow. Used to enjoy his late night TV show where pretty much anything went down lol.

[@firekind1980]

Everyone on tv knew. Not just BBC and they all thought it was accecptable. Steve was a jobbing comedian at this point so at most he heard rumours. Never forget the BBC fed kids to this monster on prime time tv. All license payers are complicit.

[@JohnBaiger]

@@firekind1980 lmfao, you dropped your tin foil hat

[@firekind1980]

@@JohnBaiger Oh yeah? The BBC knew nothing. Well thats them off thee hook for sure.

[@JohnBaiger]

@@firekind1980 If you're going to have conversations with yourself, do it in private

[@christiankreps5920]

Saville's activities were well known in "media circles", especially the BBC, for years.

[@stephenguppy3466]

The signs were all there yet we didn't see them. A young Coogan, obviously petrified of Savile, hence the lacklustre impression, the monster himself with a picture of him and Cliffie (always in the mix somewhere is our Cliff), and James Whale, who was one of the few people who would regularly have Savile as a guest.

[@hb-fc3jj]

Apart from Margaret Thatcher and King Charles, who both had him as a guest on many occasions.

[@Chris-dm1je]

​@hb-fc3jj Strangely, "Buckingham Palace", a term often used as a not so subtle way of saying The Queen herself, was strongly opposed to giving Savile a knighthood. It was Margaret Thatcher who kept on at them about it until, in the end, they gave in. Mary Whitehouse gave him an award for "Wholesomeness", saying that she wished more men were like him. She also, for an unknown reason, felt the need to say "I know nothing about his private life. It's nothing to do with me."

[@johndejure9849]

cliff or 'kitty'

[@Dion_Mustard]

​@@johndejure9849elm guest house 😮

[@johndejure9849]

@@Dion_Mustard absolutly !

[@-xirx-]

Steve Coogan used to do the voice of the Jimmy Savile puppet on Spitting Image

[@HamptonDoubledayJr]

*Savile

[@shellsbignumber2]

The Reckoning was an amazing acting performance from Steve. I just object to it being called The Reckoning as Savile never faced the reckoning, he got away with all his ill deeds scot free.

[@jayaybe1]

I was thinking the same thing watching it last night...🤔.

[@TheRowlandstone73]

Pretty sure it's referring to the reckoning that was to come following his death as a Roman Catholic. The one carried out by God. The one that Savile was talking about when he said, "I'll take my chances".

[@jayaybe1]

@@TheRowlandstone73 Yes, I guessed that would be the only thing it could be 😉.

[@Fireglo]

If you actually watched the show the Reckoning was about him about to go to hell as he refused to confess his sins during the last rites.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

I also think the bbc shouldn’t have been allowed to make this retrospective of Savile and his actions because they certainly painted a much better picture of their involvement in his crimes against children and young people. They were his enablers for 40 years let’s not forget.

[@Tyrekickingwetdreamer]

Lovely to see our friend jimmy looking so well ❤❤

[@lesleyhubble2976]

Steve coogan has really come a long way as an actor

[@vermilliongecko]

Steve really started off as a voice actor doing Spitting Image.

[@nigelwilliams9307]

Keep it clean please.

[@vermilliongecko]

@@nigelwilliams9307 Who's being dirty?

[@jadepixie2719]

Steve has come a long way… 😂

[@user-ep3zq3ws3z]

If Jimll had ever gone to prison, he would have just ended up with the keys, coming and going as he pleased

[@---df5sr]

He never let’s an impression go to waste

[@ianblack4889]

Steve also played Stan laurel ( Blinding film, with John C Riley) 😂

[@Sheriff_GrimLaw]

Steve also played/plays Alan Partridge. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@bradbobhayhurst8604]

From a nice person to an awful person

[@stevejailbirdmatt]

Life is absolutely extraordinary!

[@CS-mo7xp]

You can see the cogs in steve's brain ticking over here, thinking 'I'm probably going to end up playing this guy one day, in a docu-drama'... amazing foresight really.

[@leecorcoran6174]

And all those years on he’s just done a brilliant performance of jimmy the horror saville

[@adriang2053]

Brilliant acting ? I just heard Alan Patridge personally

[@sratus]

We know Lee.

[@zorls]

@@adriang2053 It sounds identical to jimmy what you mean?

[@clivemitchell4316]

Now then, now then. Jingle jangle!

[@Smog104]

“ your not that old how did you know what I sounded like back then “? Sarcastically Coogan says “ yer know Grapevine” ……

[@pud4272]

That is absolute gold

[@gaztambo139]

Very strange seeing them together. Think Steve did an excellent job in the Reckoning. Wish they could posthumously remove JS’s Knighthood. I know they say he’s not a Sir now he’s dead, but he’s still referred to as Sir in the History books and on Wikipedia.

[@sambrownbridge7917]

Gunray: "This is getting out of hand, now there are two of them!"

[@cartertheunstoppablefaxmac902]

Alarm bells ringing at “with a very young Cliff Richard”

[@HamptonDoubledayJr]

Why? And back it up with evidence

[@therookpiece]

Wow! I'm just working my way through 'The Reckoning', so to see them sat near each other is something.

[@mattvickers8639]

The 'grapevine' comment might be a hint that he knew

[@josemengelez6947]

nice catch.

[@jamescorlett5272]

Yeah well spotted - very likely as it doesn't make sense unless .

[@B3astMass]

What am I missing with this grapevine comment?

[@jamescorlett5272]

@B the obvious if you have It pointed out our listen perhaps twice .

[@B3astMass]

@@jamescorlett5272 oh yeah it is haha

[@marcmarparran7753]

That Savile fellow sure seems like a nice guy, with a sparkling personality. With his extensive charity work, association with the establishment and long career, he surely improved many people's lives with his powerful influence. 👌🏻🇬🇧

[@user-vb6ku2wh3b]

I'm sure you're just being ironic aren't you?

[@marcmarparran7753]

@@user-vb6ku2wh3bHis Wikipedia page contains lot of praiseworthy stuff. Admittedly, I didn't read all of it.

[@TheDanielShepherd]

He did.

[@TheDanielShepherd]

@@user-vb6ku2wh3b no he's being sarcastic - learn the difference.

[@georgia8592]

​@@TheDanielShepherd Its moronic

[@bluegalaxy7746]

This is mind-blowing...

[@AcademyMike]

I remember James Whale when he broadcast a late night 'phone in on Radio Newcastle. I thought he was a nob. He hated students who kept getting one over him.

[@howareyou857]

Yep me too. Whaley's Wailers..

[@andrewhaines3259]

His radio show must have been franchised out as we used to get it in Lancashire as well. I think it went off air a few times because he told callers to F Off a few times if I remember correctly!

[@AcademyMike]

@@andrewhaines3259 This would have been back in mid 70's and it was defi Newcastle. I remember a brilliant spoof based in Heaton park that they got passed him. From what I've seen of him, he remains a self opinionated, smug, bell tap. Imo. 👍

[@paulf2898]

I remember ceaser the geezer before him

[@donlogan83]

Interesting photo Savile showed there. I wonder if it will ever take on any more significance?

[@ianhowlett4682]

NOW THEN NOW THEN!

[@Thush007]

The way Whale is asking Coogan for an impression reminds me of, I think, the KMKY radio show where AGP is asking an impressionist to do the most basic, run of the mill impressions for him.

[@jamesfelixdupont]

Do your Frank Spencer!

[@Foebane72]

When Coogan does his Jimmy Savile impression here, it was honestly a shock to see Savile there IN PERSON! I hope Saville is melting down into the earth with his grave spinning at Coogan's excellent portrayal in The Reckoning!

[@firekind1980]

If you're Catholic you know all child rapists go to the other place. Heaven is very welcoming to this sort. Hell not so much. See how things might've been twisted?

[@catherinetaylor982]

​@@firekind1980hope he is in hell.

[@jasondierker7579]

​@@firekind1980Protestantism was in part literally born out of Catholics being able to absolve their sins with money.

[@fiddlecastro1453]

That impression was incredible 😂😂 I'm american so don't know who those guys are but steve and the other guy seem like pure souls with a deep respect for eachother. Respect from Pennsylvania ✌

[@ComicAcolyte]

Jimmy Saville (the other guy) was a necrophiliac and a pedo

[@carlwilson1772]

Jimmy Savile wasn't a pure soul. He was pure evil. The most prolific sex offender in British legal history, he preyed on the young, the old, the mentally ill. He ingratiated himself with the British establishment to protect himself from prosecution and discovery. He had friends in high places, and was known to have violence meted out to those who crossed him. A nasty, evil bastard.

[@idiotsimulator8055]

Steve Coogan is an excellent actor, writer and comedian. Jimmy Savile was one of Britains most dangerous pedophiles, rapists and necrophiles who was knighted for his charity work,given an almost state funeral and was protected throughout his life.

[@Flipdrivel]

Can't quite tell if you're being ironic... if not, this is the biggest misinterpretation since time began 😬

[@Shazzlemcdazzlepants]

Little did he know he’d be playing him all these years later, and not in a good light. It’s almost like he got his approval for sounding like him then. Bit eerie….

[@RoryTV1]

no im sure he did know

[@Shazzlemcdazzlepants]

@@RoryTV1 so 30 years ago or however long ago it was he knew he’d be playing him today? Ok then

[@carlisroy6666]

@@Shazzlemcdazzlepants I'm sure Rory means that Coogan knew the rumours even back then. He's hardly showing any level of warmth to him here.

[@kaisersoymilk6912]

It's a symbolic thing, he didn't mean it literally

[@caeserromero3013]

Best buddies....

[@RachyRooM]

Videos like this convince me we live in a matrix 😅

[@ardwickhouse]

Brilliant shot there by Coogan, letting him know that HE knows as a great many others did. Coogan actually puts his tongue in his own cheek there afterwards. I suppose we can read a lot into all sorts after the fact, it’s subtle but Coogans’ stock has just gone up with me again. I’m here, obviously, because i’ve just watched the reckoning, Coogans’ going to win an armful of awards if there’s any justice.

[@hobojonas]

“How did you know about that?” “Grapevine” 😂

[@tabsntoot]

Can imagine savile going ‘ahhhh haaaaaa’

[@mrhed0nist]

That's a few years ago. Just after Janes Whale filmed Frankenstein.

[@danieldonnelly3589]

Cliff Richard always seems to be in the middle of this stuff.

[@bobhawkins-so5et]

Kitty

[@HarryQ94]

I’ve heard a story about cliff. But it’s not my story to tell

[@danieldonnelly3589]

⁠ wasn’t he a visitor of a certain boys home that Savile also hung out at? There was the Yewtree/BBC investigation. His own strange asexual private life. He also moves in the same circles as Savile - friends with BBC higher ups and celebrities like Rantzen and Hunniford who covered up for Savile. He’s high up with the Royals and various politicians. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Richard get the Savile treatment once he dies - it’ll all comes out when it’s too late. He just seems fake to me, like there’s evil under that mask.

[@maxington26]

@@danieldonnelly3589I read the other day, in an interview, that the lead investigator on Yewtree (now retired) said he's now putting together the evidence on "another untouchable much-loved British celebrity" (to paraphrase). My first thought was a certain singer...

[@HarryQ94]

@@danieldonnelly3589 there are many who are connected im sure! I heard a podcast today where a reporter recently asked Scotland Yard for the files on Lord Mountbatten and was told they vanished. When he asked “when did they vanish” the reply was “after you requested them” groups of these people are connected im certain. Even after one dies and takes the secret to the grave with them… they are still linked to living participants who remain in highly powerful positions. As for cliff, the story I heard was quite crazy and I 100% believe it because it’s an extremely close family member. although cliff didn’t break any laws from this story, I still got a sense of his perversion, there was also another female celebrity involved but I really shouldn’t go into much detail about it. Just that although he didn’t break any laws I could easily see him going further from what I heard, it really wouldn’t surprise me

[@Georgieastra]

If only Steve had taken the opportunity to demonstrate his duelling pistols 🔫

[@wulfgold]

Sure there's plenty of BBC employees that do a realistic Savile impression.

[@user-fq5kg6gk1g]

I had No idea that Steve Coogan and Jimmy Savile met little did Jimmy know that Steve Would Play him Years later and expose him as the Wolf 🐺 in Sheep’s 🐑 Clothing he really Was!

[@ComicAcolyte]

Surreal considering how he just played him

[@friendyadvice2238]

Crikey, how grim and ironic is this film clip

[@iamsarahtonin]

Oh wow!😮

[@zingo2664]

great clip !

[@digitalsoldier3894]

Savile's lovechild

[@RyanH1976]

steve's body language is telling of discomfort

[@jayaybe1]

Jim'll was certainly a big personality guy. You can see how he could dominate and cajole people to get what he wanted.

[@tabsntoot]

Thier was character and charisma,mostly contrived some type of raw power that drew people in

[@gordoncockfield]

Jesus!

[@eddiebrown8715]

Steve seems to slip into John Cooper Clarke at the end there.

[@kahyui2486]

0:27 Jim and allegedly innocent cliff Richard

[@keyserxx]

I wanna hear from the filing cabinet

[@K7ALMIGHTY]

So cliff got pumped aff jimmy 😂

[@weerobot]

Tip of IceBerg..do we know our friends and associates...!..BBC needs a Reckoning too...Reckoning just another Distraction..

[@nezkeys79]

He looks like something off Grand Theft Auto 😅

[@Dave-ko2pr]

Of course Steve had no idea that many years later , the Jimmy Saville scandal would happen and he’d play the man himself on a BBC drama

[@notreallydavid]

God. Life's little ironies, eh?

[@Iflyanythin]

Not a big coogan fan but he played him excellent

[@ChloeFletcher-gk1fo]

This is creepily ironic. Shit! He is amazing Mr. Coogan, but I bet your bottom dollar, I mean pound note, that he didn't know Savile was a creep either. Years later, here's looking at you Mr. Savile!

[@dannypaterson888]

Grapevine 😂

[@monamccormack]

Omfg when it got to the part that Savile was actually there👁️👄👁️

[@Antpeople1]

OH MY GOSH, STEVE COOGAN DOING AN IMPRESSION OF JIMMY SAVILLE IN FRON OF HIM..HOW WEIRD NOW

[@cervelo9465]

What a career

[@davidcoomber4050]

Don’t you just love the way the BBC are allowed to investigate themselves and than expose the evil of Savile after everybody else has.

[@jamesbomd3503]

I ENJOYED THAT UNTIL IT FOCUSED OUT AND I SAW SEVILLE THAT A CHILL WENT DOWN MY SPINE

[@HamptonDoubledayJr]

Who's Seville?

[@AERIEDM]

Coogan looks at Saville with such repulsion. Cudos to you Steve.

[@rael1999]

He looked a bit worried to me. Savile was a bit of an underworld character and he knew plenty of heavies for sure. He had a right reputation for intimidation, probably why he got away with what he did for so long.

[@astonmcleod5344]

jimmy and CR together, no surprises there

[@stevepollard6738]

We now know how steve got the part in his saville documentary 😂😂

[@ModerateObserver]

I thought Coogan's impression in The Reckoning was pretty good, though not perfect - it strayed over the Pennines to Manchester on occasion.

[@maxpaws3977]

The body language and facial expressions shows that Coogan really didn't like him. He must have known.