The Hack cast: List of actors and their real-life counterparts in ITV drama

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ITV’s new seven-part drama, The Hack, tackles two disturbing stories: the phone-hacking scandal that rocked the tabloids and the mysterious, unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan. The series, written by Jack Thorne, who also penned Adolescence and Toxic Town, promises a shocking look at both events.

Throughout the series, Thorne will uncover the link between these two investigations and explore the lingering consequences of the phone-hacking scandal first exposed by Nick Davies (David Tennant) years ago.

David Tennant stars in one part of this story, while Robert Carlyle (known for COBRA) plays DCS Dave Cook, the detective who led the investigation into Morgan’s death – and suffered serious consequences for his efforts.

The Hack features a talented cast of well-known actors – including Toby Jones, Katherine Kelly, Rose Leslie, Steve Pemberton, and Eve Myles – who powerfully deliver this gripping and unsettling story.

Get to know the cast of The Hack as the new series begins on ITV1 and ITVX. We’ll show you the actors alongside the real people they’re playing.

The Hack cast: List of actors in ITV factual drama

Get to know the characters from ITV’s The Hack! This guide provides details on each character and the actors who play them, plus a look at where you might recognize the cast from other projects.

  • David Tennant as Nick Davies
  • Toby Jones as Alan Rusbridger
  • Robert Carlyle as DCS Dave Cook
  • Eve Myles as Jacqui Hames
  • Katherine Kelly as Sheridan McCoid
  • Adrian Lester as Mr Apollo
  • Rose Leslie as Charlotte Harris
  • Cara Theobold as Amelia Hill
  • Steve Pemberton as Rupert Murdoch
  • Dougray Scott as Gordon Brown
  • Rosalie Craig as Rebekah Brooks
  • Mark Stobbart as Andy Coulson
  • Nicholas Rowe as Jeremy Paxman
  • Robert Bathurst as Max Clifford
  • Ron Cook as Max Mosley
  • Georgia Jay as Sienna Miller
  • Terence Maynard as Rufus Duffy
  • Nadia Albina as Gill Phillips
  • Barry Sloane as DS Ezra Slater
  • Robert Glenister as DCI Callum Lockhart
  • Nabil Elouahabi as DC Buzz Aldrin
  • Kevin Doyle as AC John Yates
  • Pip Torrens as Stuart Kuttner
  • Lisa McGrillis as Sarah Montague
  • Sean Pertwee as Sean Hoare
  • Charlie Brooks as Kim Vian

David Tennant as Nick Davies

Nick Davies is a journalist who works mainly for The Guardian. He learns about phone hacking happening at the News of the World – where private voicemails of celebrities and other public figures were being accessed for stories. Exposing this practice will create significant difficulties for him, both personally and in his career.

David Tennant is incredibly busy! While he’s best known for playing the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, he’s appeared in a huge number of other shows and films. Some of his other notable roles include Broadchurch, Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Good Omens, Staged, and the Star Wars series Ahsoka.

Toby Jones as Alan Rusbridger

Alan Rusbridger was the editor-in-chief of The Guardian when the phone-hacking scandal first came to light. He quickly found himself under pressure from those trying to suppress the story. However, he had a long-standing, trusting relationship with reporter Nick Davies and believed in his investigative skills.

Toby Jones is a well-known actor who recently gained widespread recognition for his role as Alan Bates in the ITV drama *Mr Bates vs The Post Office*. He’s also appeared in popular shows and films like the BBC comedy *Detectorists*, the *Captain America* Marvel movies, *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*, and *Sherlock*.

Eve Myles as Jacqui Hames

Jacqui Hames is a journalist and television presenter who was widely recognized as the host of the program Crimewatch. During the events depicted in The Hack, she was also married to DCS Dave Cook, the detective leading the investigation into the still-unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan.

Eve Myles is best known for playing Gwen Cooper in the popular BBC series *Torchwood*, a spin-off of *Doctor Who*. She’s also appeared in other well-known dramas like *Broadchurch* and *Victoria*, as well as the Apple TV+ thriller *Hijack*. More recently, she’s been in *The Crow Girl*, *The Guest*, and *Coldwater*.

Steve Pemberton as Rupert Murdoch

As a lifelong movie and news buff, I’ve definitely heard the name Rupert Murdoch. He’s a hugely powerful figure in media, probably one of the most well-known in the world. Here in the UK, his company, News Corp, owns some of the biggest newspapers – *The Sun*, *The Times*, and *The Sunday Times*. And if you remember back a few years, his previous company, News Corporation, also used to publish the *News of the World*, though that paper is no longer around.

Steve Pemberton is a comedian and actor famous for co-creating and starring in popular British shows like The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville, and Inside No. 9. He’s also known for his role as Mick Garvey in the sitcom Benidorm, and has appeared in dramas like Whitechapel and Happy Valley, as well as the recent Worzel Gummidge and Netflix series Missing You.

Dougray Scott as Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2007 to 2010. He became Prime Minister after Tony Blair stepped down. However, his party lost the following election, leading to a new government formed by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Dougray Scott has appeared in a variety of TV shows and films. On television, he’s been in series like Irvine Welsh’s Crime, Batwoman, Vigil, Desperate Housewives, and Hemlock Grove. His film work includes roles in Mission: Impossible 2, Taken 3, and his recent film, My Oxford Year.

Rosalie Craig plays Rebekah Brooks

Rebekah Brooks is a prominent figure in British media. She previously edited the News of the World and The Sun newspapers, and currently holds the position of CEO at News UK, which is owned by the Murdoch family.

You might have seen Rosalie Craig in shows like Moonflower Murders and The Serpent Queen. She’s also appeared in Netflix series 1899 and Anatomy of a Scandal.

Mark Stobbart as Andy Coulson

Andy Coulson took over as editor of News of the World when Rebekah Brooks moved to The Sun. He later became central to the phone-hacking scandal, especially after being appointed as communications director for Prime Minister David Cameron, working directly at 10 Downing Street.

Mark Stobbart is recognizable for his recent roles as Peter Sutcliffe in the true crime drama *The Long Shadow* and as Cheese in *House of the Dragon*. He’s also appeared in *Smoggie Queens*, *The Hunt for Raoul Moat*, and *Line of Duty*.

Nicholas Rowe plays Jeremy Paxman

Jeremy Paxman is a well-known British journalist and TV presenter. He became famous for hosting Newsnight, a popular BBC news and current affairs program, during the time the story takes place.

Nicholas Rowe is known for his roles in several TV dramas. Recently, he’s been seen in shows like Red Eye, The Outlaws, and The Killing Kind, which premiered on Netflix earlier this month.

Robert Bathurst plays Max Clifford

Max Clifford was a well-known publicist who made a name for himself by selling scandalous stories to tabloid newspapers. However, his relationship with the News of the World soured when he became a victim of phone hacking, briefly aligning him with journalist Nick Davies during Davies’ investigation. In 2014, Clifford was convicted of sexual offenses and passed away in prison three years later.

Robert Bathurst has been acting since the 1980s and is known for his appearances in popular TV shows like Cold Feet, Downton Abbey, Blandings, and Toast of London.

Ron Cook plays Max Mosley

Max Mosley was the president of Formula One’s governing body. He became embroiled in a public dispute with the News of the World newspaper after they published details of a private sexual act he participated in. Mosley successfully sued the newspaper, proving they had violated his privacy and that their suggestion of Nazi links to the incident was false. He later financially supported legal claims against the newspaper from individuals who alleged their phones had been hacked.

Ron Cook is well-recognized for his role as Mr. Crabb in the ITV series *Mr. Selfridge*. He has also appeared in *Inside No. 9*, *Andor*, *The Salisbury Poisonings*, and *Des*, a true-crime drama starring David Tennant.

Georgia Jay plays Sienna Miller

Who is Sienna Miller? Sienna Miller is an American-British actor and phone-hacking victim.

Georgia Jay is most famous for her role as Steph Miligan in the ITV drama Emmerdale. She’s also appeared in BBC shows like Silent Witness and Giri/Haji.

Robert Carlyle as DCS Dave Cook

Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook is a Metropolitan Police officer who investigated the complex and still-unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan. The case significantly impacted both his personal and professional life.

Robert Carlyle first gained recognition for his roles in popular British films like *Trainspotting* and *The Full Monty*. This success led to an appearance in the James Bond film *The World Is Not Enough* in 1999. He’s since collaborated again with director Danny Boyle on films including *The Beach*, *Yesterday*, and *T2 Trainspotting*. On television, Carlyle is well-known for his work on shows like *Stargate Universe*, Disney’s *Once Upon a Time*, Sky’s *COBRA*, and the recent Netflix docudrama *Toxic Town*.

Rose Leslie as Charlotte Harris

Charlotte Harris is the attorney representing Max Clifford. She initially connects with Nick Davies while providing legal counsel to Clifford in a case against the News of the World.

Rose Leslie first became well-known for her roles as Gwen in Downton Abbey and Ygritte in Game of Thrones. More recently, she’s starred as a lead in the legal drama The Good Fight and the BBC thriller Vigil.

Katherine Kelly as Sheridan McCoid

Who is Sheridan McCoid? Sheridan is Nick’s ex-wife, with whom he remains on good terms.

As a big fan of Katherine Kelly, people probably recognize her most from a few key roles. She was fantastic as Lady Mae in *Mr Selfridge*, and then really shone as DI Jodie Shackleton in *Happy Valley*. More recently, I loved her work as Elizabeth Sutherland in *Gentleman Jack* – both *Happy Valley* and *Gentleman Jack* were written by the brilliant Sally Wainwright, which is no surprise given how great those shows are! And last year, she was part of the incredibly powerful cast in *Mr Bates vs The Post Office*, which really brought that whole scandal to light.

Adrian Lester as Mr Apollo

Mr. Apollo is an anonymous source who first alerted journalist Nick Davies to the phone-hacking scandal at the News of the World. Davies has kept Mr. Apollo’s true identity secret, always referring to him by this code name.

Adrian Lester is famous for his work in the theatre, but he’s also appeared in several popular TV shows. These include Hustle, Life, Trigger Point, and more recently, the fantasy series Renegade Nell and The Sandman.

The Hack is airing on ITV1 and ITVX from Wednesday 24th September 2025.

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2025-09-24 19:38