The Hack producer reveals why phone-hacking scandal is “even more relevant” for today’s audiences

Joe Williams, the producer of ‘The Hack,’ has discussed the phone-hacking scandal that the series explores. He believes the issue has become even more important recently, as people’s privacy is increasingly at risk.

The show tells the story from two sides: through the eyes of investigative journalist Nick Davies, played by David Tennant, and DCS David Cook, portrayed by Robert Carlyle.

Initially, their investigations seem unrelated – one focuses on scandalous tabloid stories, and the other on a cold case murder. However, as the narrative progresses, a clear connection between the two begins to emerge.

He started by explaining that while the events took place only around twelve years ago, the focus on voicemail hacking feels surprisingly outdated now, given how technology has changed.

I hope this also serves as a reminder of just how much personal information people are carrying around with their phones and other devices, which is especially important to consider today.

“We’re sharing more and more stuff than people would have shared in their voicemails back then.”

Even though worries about privacy have increased since phone hacking was stopped – largely due to the growth of big technology companies and online tracking – Jack Thorne, the writer of ‘The Hack,’ believes the scandal still needs to be investigated further.

The investigation was meant to examine troubling connections, but the Conservative government blocked it. The Labour party had promised to launch a second part of the Leveson Inquiry, but they’ve now decided not to go ahead with it.

The new thriller, The Hack, boasts a stellar cast featuring well-known actors like Steve Pemberton (from Inside No. 9), Toby Jones (known for Mr Bates vs The Post Office), Rose Leslie (of Vigil), and Eve Myles (who starred in Coldwater), as well as other talented performers.

The Hack premieres on ITV1 and ITVX on Wednesday 24th September 2025.

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2025-09-19 22:04