Scoop (2024 film)

Scoop is a 2024 British biographical drama film directed by Philip Martin, starring Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper, and Rufus Sewell. It is a dramatic retelling of the process of securing and filming the 2019 BBC television interview of Prince Andrew by presenter and journalist Emily Maitlis and the production team at the BBC Two news and current affairs programme Newsnight. The screenplay by Peter Moffat and Geoff Bussetil is adapted from the 2022 book Scoops by former Newsnight editor Sam McAlister.

The film is a behind-the-scenes story of the women who negotiated with the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the "scoop of the decade" that was the public catalyst for the downfall of the Duke of York, in a televised interview which focused on Andrew's relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations of Andrew's sexual assault of a minor. The interview was later described as less a car crash than "a plane crashing into an oil tanker, causing a tsunami, triggering a nuclear explosion."

The film was released on 5 April 2024 on Netflix.

Plot
In 2010, New York City photographer Jae Donnelly stakes out a private Manhattan home for an exclusive shot. He eventually photographs Prince Andrew walking with Jeffrey Epstein in Central Park after photographing a young girl leaving from the same building just prior.

Nine years later, directly after major staffing cuts are announced, young BBC Newsnight guest producer Sam McAlister comes across the photo placed next to a Prince Andrew sponsored, young entrepreneurs event article. So, she tries to contact the photographer.

Prince Andrew's private secretary Amanda Thirsk believes the Epstein photo is a key reason the palace's event was not attended by the press. PR representative Jason Stein is consulted, but the prince insists he ended his friendship with Epstein after the mogul's original underage sex scandals had come to light.

Jason suggests Amanda should reach out to several "friendly" reporters to conduct one-on-one interviews to improve Andrew's image. Having spoken to Sam recently, Amanda agrees to meet and negotiate terms for an interview. Called out by a co-worker for being vocally critical of lead presenter Emily Maitlis and for having sensationalist leanings, the programme editor, Esme, has a word with Sam. Including Emily in the dialogue, she tells her she welcomes her innovations, but reminds her they must find a way to work together regardless of the tension.

Jae gets back to Sam, sharing photos of young girls going in and out of Epstein's Manhattan home. He insists that Epstein has been doing it for many years. Arriving home, Sam finds her mother, who has been looking after her teenage son Lucas. Working long hours, she does not get to see him often, but she tries to bond with him over a crush he has on a girl and buying him takeout.

The next day, Amanda invites Sam to Buckingham Palace. After tea, Sam convinces her to leave the grounds for a drink. Amid negotiations for the potential interview with Prince Andrew, Amanda asks what Emily is like, then what Sam knows about her. She knows that she is also a single mother, formally worked in banking and has been working for Andrew for seven years.

Both Amanda and Sam are criticised for meeting for drinks. Upset by the altercation, Sam vents to her mother. Jae calls to let her know that Epstein is about to be taken into custody by the FBI for child sex trafficking.

After informing Esme, Sam rushes to Amanda's to convince Prince Andrew to give Newsnight a TV interview. They hold off until Epstein is suddenly found dead in his cell, and rumours circulate about the men's friendship. Sam gets her and Emily a negotiation meeting in Buckingham Palace with Amanda, the Prince and his daughter Beatrice.

Once Newsnight secures the "scoop of the decade", Sam is seemingly left out of the loop, as Esme and Emily work with two male journalists and do not include her. Her mother gives her a pep talk, reminding her that she was responsible for the story. In the morning, Amanda calls Sam with the interview time.

The televised interview broadcast on 16 November 2019 focuses on Andrew's relationship with convicted sex offender Epstein and allegations of Andrew's sexual assault of a minor, which Andrew denies on several occasions. His lack of remorse and accountability on screen – along with now-infamous bizarre, erratic statements about visiting a PizzaExpress in Woking and an apparent inability to sweat – is widely viewed as the public catalyst for the downfall of Prince Andrew, and a major PR crisis for the Royal Family as a whole. Soon afterwards, the Duke chooses to step down from his royal duties.

Despite not admitting guilt, in early 2022, Prince Andrew settled out of court for £12 million for Virginia Giuffre's civil lawsuit for alleged sexual assault. Sam McAlister left the BBC in 2021 and now teaches negotiation at the London School of Economics.

Cast

 * Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis
 * Keeley Hawes as Amanda Thirsk
 * Billie Piper as Sam McAlister
 * Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew
 * Romola Garai as Esme Wren
 * Richard Goulding as Stewart MacLean
 * Amanda Redman as Netta McAlister
 * Connor Swindells as Jae Donnelly
 * Lia Williams as Fran Unsworth
 * Colin Wells as Jeffrey Epstein
 * Aoife Hinds as Rebecca
 * Paul Popplewell as an editor
 * Andrew MacBean as Tony Hall
 * Charity Wakefield as Princess Beatrice
 * Zach Colton as Lucas McAlister

Production
An adaptation of former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister's 2022 book Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews by Peter Moffat for The Lighthouse Film & Television and Voltage TV was announced in July 2022. Moffat said the adaptation was concentrating on "how the BBC's Newsnight team got the scoop...[and]...Why did he agree to do it?" It would be directed by Philip Martin and produced by Hilary Salmon and Radford Neville for The Lighthouse and Sanjay Singhal for Voltage TV. Anderson, Sewell, Hawes and Piper were announced as part of the cast in February 2023. McAlister, who was in part responsible for negotiating and booking the Prince, said it was "a pinch myself moment" to be played by Piper. Hawes was cast to play Prince Andrew's former Private Secretary Amanda Thirsk.

Filming
Principal photography commenced in early 2023. Shots of Anderson in costume as Maitlis on set were revealed online in late February 2023.

Release
The film was released on 5 April 2024 on Netflix.