The BBC are to air a one-off, 90-minute conspiracy thriller based on the ‘Climategate’ scandal which saw computer hackers target the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Jason Watkins starring as UEA scientist Professor Philip Jones in The Trick. - Credit: BBC/Vox Pictures
The Trick tells the story of world-renowned Professor Philip Jones, Director of Climate Research at the University of East Anglia, who, back in 2009, found himself at the eye of an international media storm and the victim of cyberterrorism.
With time running out against an unseen enemy, The Trick looks at the potentially devastating consequences to humanity from climate change denial; how a media storm undermined public confidence in the science and how the concept of ‘truth’ took a back seat causing us to lose a decade of action.
Hackers stole thousands of emails, putting the UEA at the heart of a global scientific scandal.
It led to Norwich scientists receiving death threats and one of the most rigorous scrutiny processes in UK academic history, which eventually cleared them.
The drama stars Line of Duty and The Crown star Jason Watkins as Prof. Jones, with Victoria Hamilton as his wife Ruth. It will be available to stream from October 18.
The cast also includes George MacKay, Jerome Flynn, Adrian Edmondson, Aneirin Hughes, Tara Divina and David Calder.
Although a dramatisation, The Trick is based on fact, giving us the chance to see the effects of a large-scale cyberattack on prime-time TV.
Watch the trailer in a BBC Tweet below.
Reporting
Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).