Netflix Start Production On Scoop ‘Prince Andrew Interview’ Movie

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Netflix have announced they have acquired the rights to Scoop. The thrilling behind the scenes account of the ‘news interview of the decade’, the fall from grace of Prince Andrew.

The film will be based on former Newsnight Producer Sam McAlister’s memoir Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews. The flagship new magazine show for the BBC and if anyone who has seen this notorious interviews, it was a PR failure on how not

Gillian Anderson joins the as Emily Maitlis, Newsnight’s former lead presenter who conducted the now infamous television exchange. Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard) stars as Amanda Thirsk, former Private Secretary to Prince Andrew. Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie) stars as Sam McAlister, who negotiated and secured the bombshell booking. Rufus Sewell stars as Prince Andrew.

The project will be directed Emmy and BAFTA winner Philip Martin (The Crown, Prime Suspect, Wallander).

Here’s the official synopsis: The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade that led to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queen’s ‘Favourite son’. From navigating Palace vetoes, to breaking through to Prince Andrew’s inner circle, the high stakes negotiations and intensity of rehearsal – to the jaw dropping interview itself. SCOOP is the insider account of the inner workings of the Palace and the BBC, twin bastions of the British Establishment, spotlighting the journalists whose tenacity and guts broke through the highest of ceilings – and into the inner sanctum and calculations of a man with everything to lose.

Sam McAlister is the  Producer who negotiated many of the Newsnight seminal exclusives that shaped and captivated public conversation over the past decade. A trained criminal defence barrister, and ‘Booker Extraordinaire’ she has had a backstage pass to the most unforgettable journalism of our times. She commented “it is beyond my wildest dreams, especially as a first time writer, to end up working with this extraordinary cast, Netflix, and the amazing teams at The Lighthouse and Voltage. Watching Billie Piper, one of my favourite actresses, play “me” will be a pinch myself moment and I’m truly thrilled to be involved in this film.”

Director Philip Martin also added – “I’m thrilled to be directing this film for Netflix and – together with an extraordinary cast – to be bringing Sam McAlister’s revelatory insider’s account to the screen. Uptempo, immersive and cinematic, I want to put the audience inside the breath-taking sequence of events that led to the interview with Prince Andrew – to tell a story about a search for answers, in a world of speculation and varying recollections. It’s a film about power, privilege and differing perspectives and how – whether in glittering palaces or hi-tech newsrooms – we judge what’s true.”

Here’s the interview…