As the woke were busy taking aim at a litany of fictional, traditional Christmas films this week – complaining Bridget Jones is ‘fat-phobic’, It’s A Wonderful Life ‘extremely misogynistic’ and The Holiday ‘about toxic masculinity’ – rather less concern was expressed over a TV show that feels far more problematic: The BBC’s Saville drama, The Reckoning, currently in production, and based on actual events.

In the latest issue of the Radio Times The Reckoning writer Neil McKay – who also wrote the Fred and Rose West drama Appropriate Adult – revealed that, as work on the show continues, Savile’s victims have been invited on-set to see the show’s star Steve Coogan in costume. “They wanted to do it” McKay said, “They’re fully prepared, so it will be interesting.” Interesting is one word. Harrowing might be more apt.

The Reckoning has already attracted criticism from people concerned about the exploitative potential of a drama creating entertainment from trauma; turning the rampant abuse of vulnerable children into prime-time TV fodder. The Survivors’ Network has commented on the matter, arguing that “it should not be used as entertainment”.

Although no doubt the production company have sought full consent from those of Savile’s victims whose stories are being told, and we are told on-set safeguarding is in place, it is still concerning that this drama may mean exploiting the private stories of vulnerable people for entertainment: Giving fresh air to horrific experiences by which some are perhaps still impacted. While others may never have discussed their experiences. Savile, who died in 2011 aged 84, is now believed to have sexually abused as many as 500 young people.

Given an independent 2016 investigation which noted how the BBC missed opportunities to stop Savile’s ‘monstrous’ crimes because of a ‘culture of fear’, some are concerned that in making this drama the BBC will gain viewers and critical acclaim off the back of a story of abuse they failed to prevent. Savile’s nephew Guy Marsden has expressed his concerns that the show will be “glorifying his [Saville’s] story”, adding, “They shouldn’t be making it….”

Whether the drama will include an admission of the BBC’s own failings remains to be seen. But equally interesting, and surprising to me, was Steve Coogan’s decision to play Savile in this controversial show.

It is not a decision Coogan took lightly. McKay said it took him “a year” to convince the comedian to play the TV presenter who was unmasked as a paedophile after his death. The role raises pertinent questions for Coogan who is a staunch critic of the press but cannot be oblivious to the fact that if it were not for journalists, Savile’s crimes would never have been discovered.

Coogan, a supporter of Hacked Off’s campaign for press regulation and a core participant in the Leveson inquiry, has been voracious in his criticism of the press, berating journalists for using private information to entertain. In an enflamed debate about tabloids on Newsnight he complained: “The whole notion of press freedom is a smoke-screen for selling newspapers with tittle-tattle”.

The comedian claimed then that “even something that looks laudable like Sarah’s Law [A campaign by Sarah Payne’s mother, whose 8 year-old daughter was abducted and murdered, championed by News of The World, to allow parents to obtain information about paedophiles living nearby] was nothing to do with some moral imperative on the part of the tabloids. It’s all to do with selling newspapers”.

Then, to Coogan, the line between exploitative entertainment and investigative journalism was clear. But this new Savile drama suggests the reality is more complex.

Although some believe ‘true crime’ dramas are always tasteless, I am not one of them. I know that the space between informing and entertaining is far greyer than Coogan might like to admit. I binged on Conversations with a Killer: Ted Bundy Tapes and American Murder: the Family Next Door (not to mention Serial, The Staircase, The Jinx). I found McKay’s drama about the Wests fascinating. At the same time I’m aware that making interesting series out of other’s trauma is problematic.

Coogan has said his decision to portray Savile was not one he “took lightly” but the series had “an intelligent script tackling sensitively an horrific story which – however harrowing – needs to be told”. It’s sheer snobbery to think journalists are not equally capable of exploring intimate and difficult stories with thoughtfulness, a moral compass and tact. I’m sure Coogan knows this. But then when it comes to journalism there is a lot of snobbery about. When artist Marcus Harvey was rebuked for his tasteless portrait of Myra Hindley, recreating her mug-shot using the handprints of children, displayed at The Royal Academy’s Sensation exhibition – which caused such anger and distress that windows were smashed and eggs and ink thrown at the painting – Harvey sought to blame the press, claiming his picture was a critique of the media’s exploitation of Hindley story. “I think the photograph was used irresponsibly” he said. Perhaps it takes an artist’s arrogance to claim only you are responsible enough to make something profound out of something you claim is despicable.