‘Dream cast’ The Hack is David Tennant & Robert Carlyle’s drama based on the real-life phone scandal

Cast your mind back to 2011, the year one of the most infamous phone hacking scandals was exposed. After 168 years, the News of the World, Britain’s most prominent Sunday tabloid, was forced to close when it was revealed the paper had hacked some of the biggest celebrities — including the Royal Family — politicians, and members of the public.

As one of the most famous invasions of privacy in the UK, the scandal literally rocked the country, leading to former editor Andy Coulson being charged with conspiracy to intercept mobile voicemails. He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Thirteen years later, ITV has now adapted the story into a gripping new drama, The Hack, starring David Tennant, Robert Carlyle, and a string of other huge names.

So, as we await the release date of this new miniseries — which we’re sure will leave you on the edge of your seat for its entirety — here’s everything we know so far, from the plot to the cast to how to watch it.

When will The Hack be released?

At present, there is no release date for The Hack. However, ITV has confirmed that the drama will be dropping on our screens sometime this autumn. So, not long now.

ITV

What is The Hack about?

The Hack is set between 2002 and 2012, and follows two different real-life stories: how The Guardian journalist Nick Davies (David Tennant) uncovered the hacking scandal, and the police investigation into the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan, a private investigator.

In terms of Davies, the investigative journalist played a pivotal role in exposing the News of the World, alongside fellow Guardian reporter Amelia Hill, who assisted Davies in the case.
Perhaps the most shocking discovery was the paper’s involvement in hacking the mobile voicemail of Milly Dowler, the 13-year-old schoolgirl who was murdered in 2002.

As for the murder of Daniel Morgan, the PI was found dead in the car park of a south London pub next to his car in 1987. He was killed with an axe. This part of the series focuses on the investigation led by former Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook (Robert Carlyle).

For context, Morgan had run an agency in London called Southern Investigations with his business partner, Jonathan Rees, who would go on to have a corrupt relationship with the News of the World.

The Hack cast

Alongside David Tennant and Robert Carlyle, viewers can expect to see a whole host of familiar faces — including Toby Jones, whose recent leading role in Mr Bates vs The Post Office led to significant legal and political change in the UK.

See below for the main cast of The Hack:

• David Tennant as Nick Davies

• Toby Jones as Alan Rusbridger

• Robert Carlyle as DCS Dave Cook

• Steve Pemberton as Rupert Murdoch

• Cara Theobold as Amelia Hill

How to watch The Hack

Despite not having an official release date, we know that it will air on ITVX and STV.

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