Taglines: One interview can change everything.
Scoop movie storyline. Inspired by real events, Scoop is the inside account of the tenacious journalism that landed an earthshattering interview — Prince Andrew’s infamous BBC Newsnight appearance. From the tension of producer Sam McAlister’s high stakes negotiations with Buckingham Palace, all the way to Emily Maitlis’ jaw-dropping, forensic showdown with the Prince, SCOOP takes us inside the story, with the women who would stop at nothing to get it. To get an interview this big, you have to be bold.
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.
About the Story
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 are criticised for meeting Sam for drinks by Jason and Sam by another journalist. 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 home 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.
Scoop (2024)
Directed by: Philip Martin
Starring: Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper, Rufus Sewell, Romola Garai, Richard Goulding, Amanda Redman, Connor Swindells, Lia Williams, Colin Wells, Aoife Hinds
Screenplay by: Peter Moffat, Geoff Bussetil
Production Design by: Stéphane Collonge
Cinematography by: Nanu Segal
Film Editing by: Kristina Hetherington
Costume Design by: Matthew Price
Set Decoration by: Naomi Reed
Art Direction by: Danielle Bayliss, Byron Broadbent, Lilyana Houghton-Freeman, Jenny Ray, Glen Young
Music by: Anne Nikitin, Hannah Peel
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Netflix
Release Date: April 5, 2024
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