The Trick BBC One
TV

BBC One’s The Trick: True story drama with Jason Watkins

The top cast includes Jason Watkins and Victoria Hamilton.

The Trick is a conspiracy thriller on BBC One starring the ever-brilliant Jason Watkins as a professor whose life is torn apart by hackers.

As well as McDonald & Dodds star Jason, the starry cast includes Jerome Flynn, Victoria Hamilton and Adrian Edmondson.

George MacKay, who gave the stand-out performance in Oscar-winning film 1917, also appears.

So what is the drama about? Is it a true story, and how many parts is it?

Here’s everything you need to know…

Jason Watkins in The Trick on BBC One
Jason Watkins and Victoria Hamilton star in The Trick (Credit: BBC One)

Read more: BBC releases first look images from new thriller The Trick starring Jerome Flynn

The Trick on BBC One – what’s it about?

The Trick introduces Professor Phil Jones and his team of climatologists who work at the University of East Anglia.

They find their work has been hacked by climate change deniers and turned into the first big fake-news story.

The deniers and corporations with vested interests skillfully create the image of climate change as a conspiracy being perpetrated by academic scientists.

Although an inquiry concludes that there was no case for Phil Jones and his team to answer, it has taken a decade for the public perception of the veracity of climate change to recover.

Is The Trick on BBC One a true story?

The Trick on BBC One is based on a true story.

It dramatises the messy controversy that blew up in 2009 and was nicknamed ‘Climategate’.

The fact-based drama follows events in which world-renowned professor in climate science Phil Jones became the victim of cyberterrorism.

A hacker stole emails from the University of East Anglia and released extracts implying scientists were doctoring data to make global warming look worse than it was.

While ultimately exonerated, the incident proved to have a devastating effect on public belief in human-created climate change.

Jerome Flynn The Trick
Jerome Flynn as Neil Wallis in The Trick (Credit: BBC One)

Read more: Showtrial: New BBC drama from Line of Duty producers unveils cast

How many parts is The Trick?

The Trick is a feature-length drama which airs on BBC One on Monday October 18 2021 at 8.30pm.

The film is a one-off stand-alone drama, which is 90 minutes long.

After airing, it will be available on BBC iPlayer.

Who stars in the cast of The Trick?

Des star Jason Watkins stars as the traumatised professor at the centre of the media storm.

Actress Victoria Hamilton, famous for The Crown and Doctor Foster, portrays his protective wife.

Hollywood actor George MacKay appears as Sam Bowen, a young father and a PR strategist, drafted in to help Phil Jones tell his side of the story.

Game of Thrones star Jerome Flynn is Neil Wallis, Sam’s co-worker, who specialises in crisis management.

Former EastEnders star Adrian Edmondson plays Edward Acton.

Aneirin Hughes, Pooky Quesnel, Rhashan Stone and David Calder also star.

YouTube video player

The Trick airs on Monday October 18 2021 at 8:30pm on BBC One.

Will you be tuning in to The Trick on BBC One? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor