Following in the footsteps of fellow national treasures, Hugh Grant, Michael Sheen, Emma Thompson, Gillian Anderson and many others, Suranne Jones takes on the role of British prime minister in Netflix’s racy new political thriller, Hostage.
The five-part series, written by Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies) and executive produced by Jones, centres on the kidnapping of the Prime Minister’s husband, who’s held for ransom while working as a doctor in French Guiana. The French president is also in London for a summit and is being blackmailed, meaning the power suits are on and the gloves are off as both leaders jostle to stop their personal and political lives from imploding.
There are masked captors, high-speed car chases, spies and subterfuge aplenty, but how realistic is the show’s depiction of terrorism and Britain’s response to it? We spoke to Ed Hill, global security specialist and CEO of Intrepid Protection, to find out.
What is Hostage about?
In Hostage, the Prime Minister’s husband, Dr Alex Anderson (Ashley ‘Bashy’ Thomas), is kidnapped while on a humanitarian trip to South America. The terrorists are threatening to kill Dr Alex along with his colleagues if PM Abigail Dalton (Jones) doesn’t resign, leaving her to choose between surrendering Britain as a puppet state or a very awkward parents’ evening.
Would a British government ever pay a ransom?
To date, no British Prime Minister or member of their family has been kidnapped. Although Princess Anne came dangerously close in 1974 when unemployed labourer Ian Ball shot at her Rolls-Royce, injuring her personal protection officer and chauffeur. The plan was to hold her for £2 million ransom. Instead, The Princess Royal spent 15 minutes arguing with her would-be kidnapper before backwards somersaulting out of the car. Ball was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act, and spent 45 years in various psychiatric hospitals.
According to Hill, the rarity of these breaches is why they hit the headlines. ‘The UK has the best intelligence and security services in the world,’ he notes. ‘It’s all about prevention rather than reaction. As a terrorist, you’d be really lucky to get that far.’
Realism: 4/10
Do leaders have personal mobile phones that could be hacked?
While Alex and his fellow medics await rescue, the French Prime Minister Vivienne Toussaint (Delpy) finds herself caught out when terrorists hack her phone. They threaten to release a compromising video if she doesn’t abort a French-led rescue mission.
In Hill’s view, this is an unlikely scenario. In the wake of the News of the World phone hacking scandal of the noughties, which saw the private devices of high-profile politicians (John Prescott, Tessa Jowell) and members of the Royal family (Prince Harry, Prince William) compromised, phone security has seriously tightened up. ‘We’re talking about a level of protective measures most of us won’t be familiar with,’ says Hill. ‘We wouldn’t go into Phones 4u and get a normal SIM card.’
Realism: 2/10
Do government facilities have panic rooms?
In the show, the PM and her family are ambushed on multiple occasions. Scenarios like these show why panic rooms are contentious in the security world. ‘Chances are, if an attack is going to happen, it’s going to happen when you’re completely unprepared and nowhere near the panic room,’ says Hill.
Instead, many high-profile individuals are choosing a more ‘layered approach’, which typically includes stalling tools such as roller shutters to keep the attackers at bay. The last line of defence will be a designated room – usually a bedroom – that doubles as a panic room during an emergency. ‘The room will typically have fortified doors, an alarm system and enough comforts to last until emergency services arrive.’
Many celebrities are also reported to have invested in higher-level security. According to Hello!, Kim Kardashian has a 24/7 manned security pod, while the Beckhams are said to have a secret underground escape tunnel.
Realism: 5/10
Are politician’s spouses allowed to have risky jobs?
While it’s far-fetched that a high-value target like Alex would be exposed in the Amazon jungle, it’s not unheard of for a political spouse to keep working their day jobs.
Last year, speaking on whether his wife, Victoria, intended to keep her job as an occupational therapist if he won the election, Sir Keir Starmer told The Times: ‘She’s absolutely going to carry on working, she wants to and she loves it.’
For Hill, this would mean a more detailed security plan. ‘South America isn’t like going to Spain or France,’ he says. ‘It’s a red flag in terms of personal security.’ More precautions would be put in place beforehand. ‘I’d need to know where the individual is going, at what time, how they’re travelling there and who they’re meeting.’
And if the worst happens, his approach is to have ‘a handful of simple plans’ to lean on rather than trying to account for every eventuality. As a former Royal Marine sniper, the motto ‘no plan survives contact with the enemy’ is still etched in his brain. ‘You have to be fluid and react to what happens. It’s about flexibility and using your experience.’
Realism: 7/10
Are politicians’ children a big security risk?
In the TV show, the PM’s teenage daughter Sylvie (Isobel Akuwudike) is caught underage drinking, waltzing into confidential briefing rooms and threatening national security by yapping to a journalist.
Realistic? Not so much, says Hill. In working with the children of high-profile and high-value people, a protection officer must gain their trust and blend into the background. This has seen him become an unlikely accessory at house parties and on sticky nightclub dance floors.
‘Nobody wants to freak [children] out,’ he says. ‘It’s about being approachable and kind, but also being able to switch to being RoboCop and getting that kid to safety in an emergency. I’ve been known to ride the Caterpillar at a fun fair, looking out for potential threats.’
Realism: 8/10
Could a terrorist get press accreditation to Downing Street?
During the penultimate episode, one of the terrorists uses bogus press accreditation to get within spitting distance of Number 10. In reality, it’s a lot harder to get this close to the black door.
To apply for a parliamentary media pass, journalists must work for a legitimate media outlet recognised by the Parliamentary Press Gallery and undergo a Counter Terrorist Check – a process which might prove tricky for a man with more in common with the IRA than the NUJ.
‘Even if people give us minimal or incorrect information, we have the resources to find out anything about anyone, especially if they’re involved in criminal activity,’ notes Hill. ‘Background checks would be done to see if the individual is linked to bad guys, or is a bad guy themself. It makes for great viewing but it’s completely pie in the sky stuff.’
Realism: 1/10
Is there a trailer for Hostage?
Yes, and you can watch it below. All five episodes stream on Netflix worldwide from Thursday, August 21.
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