The Hack true story: How are Daniel Morgan and phone-hacking connected?

ITV is revisiting a huge scandal with its new show, The Hack. The series looks at how the phone-hacking controversy that shook the tabloid press first came to light in the early 2010s.

David Tennant stars as Nick Davies, a journalist for The Guardian. His reporting played a key role in exposing the wrongdoing that led to the closure of the News of the World tabloid.

I was really captivated by the way ‘The Hack’ focused on DCS David Cook, played brilliantly by Robert Carlyle. He was the detective in charge of the Daniel Morgan murder case – a case that remains unsolved, and surprisingly, seems connected to the whole phone-hacking scandal. It’s fascinating to see how these seemingly separate events intertwine, and Cook’s investigation is at the heart of it all.

Throughout the series, Thorne slowly connects the two investigations. While detectives Tennant and Carlyle initially work separately, their paths converge as the seven episodes come to a close.

Here’s an overview of the true story behind The Hack.

The Hack true story: The real events behind the ITV drama

What was the phone-hacking scandal about?

The phone-hacking scandal involved journalists and investigators illegally listening to the voicemail messages of celebrities and other public figures to find stories for tabloid newspapers.

This was possible because of the simple voicemail technology available then. People could check messages by calling their number and entering a PIN, which was frequently the default and easy to guess.

The News of the World, a popular Sunday tabloid, was particularly known for this practice and ultimately closed down because of the resulting scandal. However, it wasn’t alone, as other news outlets have faced similar accusations.

How was phone-hacking exposed?

The story of the phone-hacking scandal first came to light thanks to Nick Davies, an investigative reporter who often contributed to The Guardian.

Someone known as Mr. Apollo warned him about the phone-hacking scheme. Though believed to be a well-known person in Britain, Davies has never revealed Mr. Apollo’s identity.

Jack Thorne, the writer of The Hack, shared with viewers at a preview screening that he believed the public’s response to Davies’s reporting was more significant than the hacking incident itself.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say other British newspapers were actively helping cover things up, but it was clear they really didn’t want to touch the story – they just weren’t interested. And let me tell you, *The Guardian* really paid a price for pursuing it; it almost destroyed them. It was a huge backlash, a real fight for their survival.

I remember being at that screening with Alan Rusbridger, the editor at the time. He spoke to everyone afterwards and said something that really stuck with me: a good editor’s main job is to support their talented journalists, get their amazing stories published, and then fiercely stand by that reporting.

He supported Davies’ reporting even though he faced significant pressure from competing news outlets and political figures. A less determined editor might have backed down and issued a retraction, but he didn’t.

Rusbridger remembered the entire process lasting around five years. He explained that things only started to get better when the New York Times got involved. ‘We really needed their help,’ he said, ‘because everyone else was trying to avoid covering the story.’

The New York Times dedicated significant time and money – six months of investigation – to expose phone-hacking in the UK. The resulting article was so impactful, according to editor Alan Rusbridger, that it forced the issue into the public spotlight.

He explained that it was a frightening time, revealing a lot about Britain, the nature of power, and the influence of Rupert Murdoch. People were understandably afraid of him, which he believes is a dangerous and damaging situation for a healthy democracy.

Who was Daniel Morgan?

In March 1987, private investigator Daniel Morgan was brutally murdered in a London pub car park with an axe.

Nearly forty years have passed, and this disturbing case remains unsolved. The lack of answers has been a source of ongoing shame and debate for the Metropolitan Police.

The Morgan family stated they only had faith in one detective from the Metropolitan Police: DCS David Cook, played by Robert Carlyle. However, the case Cook built against suspect Jonathan Rees ultimately failed, and Rees was found not guilty.

How is Daniel Morgan’s case linked to phone-hacking?

Jonathan Rees, a former business associate of Daniel Morgan, was also implicated in the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World. Nick Davies of The Guardian characterized this as a widespread system of corruption within the tabloid press.

The accusations also stated that he had connections with corrupt police officers and used confidential information for his articles in the Sunday paper. At the peak of his influence, the paper was reportedly paying him an astonishing £150,000 annually.

Rees was previously convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiring to obstruct justice – specifically, arranging to plant cocaine on a woman. A significant point in the case against the News of the World newspaper was that they hired Rees even after his conviction and time in prison.

This created significant problems for Andy Coulson, the newspaper’s former editor who later became Prime Minister David Cameron’s communications director.

Coulson originally stated he knew nothing about phone hacking at News of the World while he was editor. However, a judge later determined he had actually “encouraged” the practice (according to The Guardian).

Rees wasn’t just Morgan’s old business partner; he was also a suspect in Morgan’s murder and even went to trial for it in 2009, though he was ultimately found not guilty.

I’ve followed this case for years, and one thing has remained consistent: Rees vehemently denies any involvement in Morgan’s death. When the BBC directly asked him in 2021 if he’d committed the murder, his response was a firm ‘no.’ He went on to say he had no motive, emphasizing that he and Morgan were friends – a relationship where Morgan had both taught him valuable lessons and significantly benefited their business. It’s a pretty strong denial, and he clearly points to a positive history with the victim.

We had a partnership where our combined earnings determined our yearly profits. It was a successful arrangement, so his death was devastating for both my finances and the business, as it immediately ended our collaboration.

In addition, Rees, along with Glenn and Gary Vian, won a £414,000 settlement after successfully suing the Metropolitan Police for wrongly prosecuting them in connection with the Daniel Morgan case.

What is the importance of The Hack?

Screenwriter Jack Thorne explained that ‘The Hack’ highlights how the phone-hacking scandal significantly damaged public trust in traditional news outlets.

You know, growing up, if Trevor McDonald delivered the news on ITV, or the BBC One bulletin at nine, I completely trusted what I heard. That’s just how it was. I was saying this the other day while watching ‘The Hack,’ and it really struck me how much things have changed.

We now live in a world where trust is scarce. It feels like what people believe depends entirely on the news sources they choose, and the very idea of objective truth is being challenged.

We need to understand how this situation developed. It wasn’t caused by the phone-hacking scandal alone, but by a combination of factors, with that scandal being a major one.

Joe Williams, the producer of The Hack, explained that the show’s focus on privacy invasion feels particularly timely today, as people become increasingly concerned about their personal information in the face of quickly evolving technology.

The Hack is available to watch now on ITVX and airs Wednesdays at 9pm on ITV1.

2025-09-25 21:06