David Tennant looks completely different in new ITV drama with Downton Abbey and Happy Valley stars
David Tennant is starring in ITV's new drama about the phone hacking scandal from award-winning writer Jack Thorne and the producers behind Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The Doctor Who actor leads the star-studded cast as investigative journalist Nick Davies – and he looks completely different.
A first-look photo of the series, titled The Hack, shows a grey-haired David sitting alongside Toby Jones, who plays former Editor-in Chief of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger.
The synopsis reads: "Set between 2002 and 2012, the drama deftly interweaves two real life stories, the work of investigative journalist Nick Davies, played by David Tennant, who uncovered evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World, and running parallel, the story of the investigation into the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, led by former Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook, played by Robert Carlyle."
Alongside David, Robert and Toby, the cast also includes Downton Abbey star Rose Leslie, Happy Valley's Katherine Kelly, Torchwood's Eve Myles and Crime star Dougray Scott.
Adrian Lester, Kevin Doyle, Neil Maskell, Lara Pulver, Lee Ingleby, Pip Torrens, Lisa McGrillis, Sean Pertwee, Robert Bathurst, Richard Pepple, Nadia Albina, Phil Davis, Ace Bhatti, Charlie Brooks, and Steve Pemberton also star.
The series, which was filmed last year, is currently in post-production.
BAFTA-winning director Lewis Arnold (Time, Sherwood, The Long Shadow) is at the helm as director, while Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, A Spy Among Friends) is an executive producer and Managing Director of AC Chapter One.
Jack Thorne also executive produces alongside Joe Williams for ITV Studios, Lewis Arnold and David Tennant. Meanwhile, Abi Bach (The Honourable Woman, Black Earth Rising) is the Series Producer.
Annalisa Dinnella (Sex Education has penned one of the episodes and is co-writing two of the episodes with Jack Thorne.
Jack said of the series: "This is a strange and deceptive piece of our recent history. One with so many layers to it. I thought, as someone who is interested in politics, I understood everything that happened. I did not. It's a fight for the truth that really shocked me. That is why it matters to tell this story now in an age where the truth seems more in danger than ever. It is a true honour to be bringing this story to the screen alongside David, Robert, Toby, Lewis, Patrick, Joe and Abi. I hope we find a way to do justice to the complexity of what happened and of celebrating the incredible reporting that sits underneath it."
The drama is an ITV Studios co-production with Stan in Australia in association with AC Chapter One and One Shoe Films.
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