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The Hack

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The Hack
GenreTrue crime drama
Written byJack Thorne
Annalisa Dinnella
Directed byLewis Arnold
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producers
  • Jack Thorne
  • Joe Williams
  • Lewis Arnold
  • David Tennant
  • Patrick Spence
  • Tamla Kari
ProducerAbi Bach
Running time47 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkITVX
Stan
Release24 September (2025-09-24) –
5 November 2025 (2025-11-05)

The Hack is a British true-crime television series detailing the News International phone hacking scandal. It stars an ensemble cast led by David Tennant, Toby Jones and Robert Carlyle with Steve Pemberton, Eve Myles, Dougray Scott, Lisa McGrillis and Adrian Lester, amongst others.

Premise

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Set between 2002 and 2012, the series examines two intersecting real life stories, the work of Nick Davies, a journalist who uncovered evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World, a now defunct British newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch; and the police investigation into the unsolved 1987 murder of Daniel Morgan, a private investigator with links to the News of the World.[1]

Cast

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The cast includes:[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

The opening episode also includes brief, non-speaking cameos from Harry Hill, Konnie Huq, Gabby Logan and Jonathan Ross.[3][10]

Episode 3 features a cameo from Alastair Campbell (Tony Blair's strategist and advisor) as himself.

Production

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Writer Jack Thorne, seen in 2019

The seven-part series was commissioned by ITVX and Australian streamer Stan. It is written by BAFTA-winning screenwriter Jack Thorne and Annalisa Dinnella. It is directed by Lewis Arnold. The series is produced by ITV Studios with AC Chapter One and One Shoe Films.[11][1] Executive producers include Patrick Spence and Jack Thorne alongside Joe Williams for ITV Studios, Lewis Arnold and David Tennant. Abi Bach is the series producer.[12]

Initially reported under the working title Mandrake,[13][1][14] filming locations included Hemel Hempstead, Muswell Hill and Kilburn, London in February and March 2024.[15][16][17]

Broadcast

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All seven parts were released on ITVX on 24 September 2025. ITV and STV began linear broadcasts on the same date.[18]

Reception

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The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 64% approval rating based on 11 critic reviews.[19]

Julia Raeside writing in the i Paper gave the series five stars out of five, adding:[20]

The Hack is a complicated story, brilliantly told by a group of creatives at the very peak of their powers and Thorne manages to weave the many strands into a galloping narrative spiked with wit and bold emotional flourishes. The press and politicians will no doubt be watching the audience reaction to The Hack closely. Whatever the outcome, it is TV dynamite.

Vicky Jessop in the Evening Standard gave the series four stars out of five, calling it: a "welcome refresher on one of the biggest abuses of power of our time".[21] Paul Hirons writing for the Killing Times also gave it four stars and called the series: "surprising, stylish, and brilliantly mounted".[22] Lucy Mangan, writing in The Guardian, gave the show two out of five, criticising the "many breakings of the fourth wall by Tennant [that] only undermines any sense that the writer trusts his story."[23] Nick Hilton in The Independent gave three out of five, and noted:[24]

As well as its headliners, The Hack makes use of some top UK talent in its panoply of real-life characters ... The willingness of these actors (the named cast runs for seven pages on the press release) to take small parts in an ensemble speaks to the impact phone-hacking had on showbusiness culture.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Goldbart, Max (29 January 2025). "'The Hack': ITV Unveils Phone Hacking Drama Series Starring David Tennant As Bullish Investigative Journalist Nick Davies, Robert Carlyle & Toby Jones". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  2. ^ "ITV's The Hack cast: All the actors and the real life people they play from David Tennant to Robert Carlyle". Cosmopolitan. 24 September 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b Hilton, Nick (24 September 2025). "David Tennant is a class act in sprawling ITV phone-hacking drama The Hack – review". The Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  4. ^ Craig, David. "The Hack cast: Full list of actors and their real-life counterparts | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  5. ^ "All to know on ITV's The Hack starring David Tennant and Robert Carlyle". North Wales Chronicle. 24 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  6. ^ Cotton, Elizabeth (24 September 2025). "The Hack on ITV: What it's about, how many episodes, and full cast list". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  7. ^ de Semlyen, Phil (24 September 2025). "Where was 'The Hack' filmed: behind the scenes of ITV's brilliant phone-hacking drama". Time Out. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  8. ^ "All to know on ITV's The Hack starring David Tennant and Robert Carlyle". The Herald. 24 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  9. ^ Fear, Helen. "The Hack on ITV1: The talented - and HUGE! - cast of phone hacking drama led by David Tennant". TV Guide. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  10. ^ Corbin, Tianna (24 September 2025). "ITV The Hack viewers issue same 'annoying' complaint minutes into show". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  11. ^ Ford, Lily (29 January 2025). "David Tennant, Robert Carlyle Lead 'The Hack', ITV Drama on U.K.'s Notorious Phone-Hacking Scandal". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  12. ^ Ritman, Alex (29 January 2025). "'The Hack': David Tennant Phone-Hacking Drama Unveils First Look a Week After Prince Harry's Historic Settlement". Variety. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Unveiling 'Mandrake': The ITV Series that Explores the Phone Hacking Scandal". Nilsenreport. 18 October 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  14. ^ "ITV Commissions The Hack, Written by Multi Award Winning Screenwriter Jack Thorne, Directed by Lewis Arnold and Executive Produced by Patrick Spence". ITV.com. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  15. ^ "ITV drama Project Mandrake filming near Alexandra Park". Hamhigh. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  16. ^ "Kilburn road closed for filming of ITV drama Project Mandrake". Hamhigh. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  17. ^ "Pictures amid ITV 'Mandrake' filming in Hemel Hempstead". Watford Observer. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  18. ^ Boffey, Daniel; reporter, Daniel Boffey Chief (29 January 2025). "ITV to air drama about Guardian's role in breaking phone-hacking scandal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  19. ^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_hack/s01
  20. ^ Raeside, Julia (24 September 2025). "The Hack is TV dynamite - you'd expect nothing less from the makers of Adolescence". The i Paper. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  21. ^ Jessop, Vicky (24 September 2025). "The Hack on ITV review: this year's Mr Bates vs the Post Office". The Standard. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  22. ^ Hirons, Paul (24 September 2025). "REVIEW: The Hack (S1 E1/7)". The Killing Times. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  23. ^ Mangan, Lucy (24 September 2025). "The Hack review – the astonishing story of phone-hacking makes for remarkably dull TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  24. ^ Hilton, Nick (24 September 2025). "David Tennant is a class act in sprawling ITV phone-hacking drama The Hack – review". The Independent. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
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