Jack Thorne has penned a new series focusing on the phone hacking scandal for ITV. More details on The Hack below.
Does Jack Thorne ever sleep? Joy, Netflix’s IVF drama written by Thorne, had a glitzy world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival last year and Brian and Maggie, a two-part dramatisation of the famous interview between Brian Walden and Margaret Thatcher is airing tonight (29th January) on ITV ā look out for our review tonight! The writer is also busy working on an adaptation of The Lord Of The Flies.
If that’s not quite enough, ITV has just announced Thorne has written a 7-part series titled The Hack about the phone hacking scandal, due to air on the channel at a later date. The series was filmed in 2024 and is currently in post-production. No news on when we might see The Hack on our screens, but news on that will likely follow sooner rather than later.
The original News Of The World phone hacking scandal unfolded from 2005 to 2007 and was followed by a larger scandal involving phone hacking. A private investigator, working for a journalist employed by News Of The World, hacked the voicemails of members of the British Royal Family illegally and it was later revealed that the news organisation had also hacked the phones of other celebrities and members of the public.
Here’s a proper synopsis for The Hack and some details on the acting talent and their roles:
Set between 2002 and 2012, the drama deftly interweaves two real life stories, the work of investigative journalist Nick Davies, played by David Tennant, who uncovered evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World, and running parallel, the story of the investigation into the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, led by former Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook, played by Robert Carlyle. Toby Jones plays former Editor-in Chief of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger.
Lewis Arnold is in the director’s chair for The Hack and Annalisa Dinnella has co-written two episodes with Thorne and one by herself. You can find a first-look image of Tennant and Jones at the top of this page.
“This is a strange and deceptive piece of our recent history. 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,” Thorne commented on the commission of the series. “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 alongside David, Robert, Toby, Lewis, Patrick, Joe and Abi. 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.”
Weāll keep you updated on more news on The Hack.