David Tennant in fresh look at new ITV phone-hacking drama with all-star cast
The star-studded factual series comes from Adolescence writer Jack Thorne.
ITV's hotly anticipated factual drama The Hack has released more images, showing the all-star cast of David Tennant, Robert Carlyle and Toby Jones as the characters at the centre of this shocking true story.
The drama unfolds primarily from the perspectives of investigative journalist Nick Davies (Tennant) – who helped uncover evidence of phone-hacking at the now-defunct tabloid News of the World – and Metropolitan Police detective Dave Cook (Carlyle).
Cook was leading enquiries into the 1987 murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan in a pub car park, which remains unsolved to this day and has been a source of controversy and criticism towards the Met.
Across a decade-long timeframe, from 2002 to 2012, the series promises to "deftly" interweave these two investigations, with a script penned by Adolescence and Toxic Town writer Jack Thorne.
"This is a strange and deceptive piece of our recent history," said Thorne. "One with so many layers to it. I thought, as someone who is interested in politics, I understood everything that happened. I did not.
"It's a fight for the truth that really shocked me. That is why it matters to tell this story now in an age where the truth seems more in danger than ever.
"It is a true honour to be bringing this story to the screen... I hope we find a way to do justice to the complexity of what happened and of celebrating the incredible reporting that sits underneath it."
Keeping up his recent spell of gripping factual dramas, Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story) plays then-Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger in The Hack – see below.
ITV has also debuted the key artwork for the series, which sees the two protagonists and their working environments juxtaposed, separated by a paper tear revealing redacted documents beneath.
The Hack also features a stacked supporting cast, including Rose Leslie (Vigil), Dougray Scott (Crime), Eve Myles (Torchwood), Adrian Lester (The Sandman), Katherine Kelly (In Flight), Sean Pertwee (Gotham), Ace Bhatti (Malpractice), Charlie Brooks (Lie With Me) and Steve Pemberton (Inside No. 9), among others.
Tune in on ITV1 and ITVX later this year. We'll bring you an update on the show's premiere date as soon as it is announced.
The Hack is coming soon to ITV.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
