Adolescence creator reveals how "deliberate risks" were taken with new David Tennant series
"My instinct is that audiences are hungry for unconventional storytelling."
After the runaway success of Adolescence, Jack Thorne has teased that his next project, ITV's The Hack, is more similar to the Netflix series than we may have thought.
Set between 2002 and 2012, the upcoming drama follows the phone-hacking scandal and stars David Tennant as Nick Davies, the journalist who boldly worked to uncover the truth.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Thorne teased some intriguing details about what's to come, explaining: "What we're doing is both technical and artistic at the same time, and we're trying to marry the two.
"We've taken some risks in how we tell the story, quite deliberate risks in the same way that Adolescence took risks in how it told the story.
"We don't tell the show conventionally. My instinct is that audiences are hungry for unconventional storytelling. I could be totally wrong but that's my instinct right now."
He added: "The Hack is a celebration of journalism. It's not a condemnation of journalism. What you're seeing is brilliant journalists working together."
Meanwhile, Thorne was also quick to praise the work of director Lewis Arnold and star Tennant (who previously worked together on 2020 miniseries Des), saying: "I just saw a cut of behind-the-scenes stuff, people talking about the show, and actor after actor is saying, 'I did this project for Lewis.'"
Speaking specifically about the risks that the show has taken in its storytelling, Thorne went on to say: "What Lewis did in terms of holding that all together and keeping everyone together – and he shot all seven episodes, which is exhausting, and his stamp on the show is quite incredible."
He added: "Lewis's conversations [with David] are fulsome and challenging and watching him get those performances out of David was just a beautiful thing to see."
While The Hack doesn't yet have a release date, it's due to air this autumn.
In the midst of writing incredible dramas and working on Sam Mendes's Beatles movies alongside Jez Butterworth and Peter Straughan, Thorne is also part of a steering group for the TV Access Project (TAP).
TAP is an initiative that has seen 10 of the UK's biggest broadcasters and streamers join forces in pledging to create a structural shift in the film and TV industry in ensuring access provision for disabled talent, both in front of and behind the camera.
Speaking about the tangible changes that TAP has allowed to happen, Thorne said: "The really exciting thing from my perspective is that you're seeing writers being empowered to tell stories, like Billy Majors's Reunion and Kyla Harris's We Might Regret This.
"We're seeing disabled writers being given the microphone, and we're seeing disabled talent being given the microphone, and it's all part the same movement and it's brilliant."
You can find out more about TAP, including the 5A guidelines and the TAP toolkit, on the Creative Diversity Network website.
The Hack is coming soon to ITV1 and ITVX. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
