“WE still live in the shadow of this moment. That’s why it’s really important that we tell this story. 

“This post-truth age that we live in is as a result of people polluting the idea of truth.

“That’s what happened here. There was a manipulation of truth.”

Recent Emmy Award winning writer Jack Thorne talking to me about The Hack.

A remarkable new seven part drama about the News International phone hacking scandal – and so much more – from the team that made Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

Which begins on ITV1 and ITVX tomorrow (Wednesday September 24).

Starring David Tennant as Guardian investigative journalist Nick Davies and Robert Carlyle as Metropolitan Police detective Dave Cook.

With Toby Jones as Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger.

Along with a dazzling ensemble cast including Rose Leslie, Eve Myles, Robert Bathurst, Ron Cook, Steve Pemberton, Katherine Kelly, Dougray Scott, Adrian Lester, Lee Ingleby, Laura Pulver, Neil Maskell, Lisa Dillon, Ace Bhatti, Lisa McGrillis, Pip Torrens, Sean Pertwee, Rebecca Front, Nicola Stephenson, Paul Kaye, Phil Davis and many more…including a few surprises.

As David Tennant told me:

“When you sign up for a job and realise some extraordinary actors are coming in to do sometimes a day, sometimes two days, sometimes a scene or a couple of scenes, you realise you’re in something that is a bit of quality. That those scripts are connecting with everyone whose in-box they ping into. 

“And while I never really doubted that, you appreciate that it is getting the seal of approval from other very august members of your profession.

“It felt like Jack’s work was being recognised by everyone who read the script. People who should be leading a series on their own would come in and play roles with relatively little screen time. But it so matters that it was played by someone like them. It really counts. They make so many moments sing. We had a Rolls Royce of a cast. It was a pleasure to be a part of that.”

A Guardian reviewer, having seen just the first two episodes, wrote last weekend:

“Wherever The Hack goes next, I hope it manages to capture the significance of this sprawling, spectacular story – one that reveals the cold hard truth about how this country truly operates.”

Having seen all seven episodes, I can confirm it certainly does.

You can read my interviews for ITV with Jack Thorne, David Tennant, Toby Jones, Robert Carlyle plus executive producers Joe Williams and Patrick Spence at the link below.

Also scroll down for a gallery of production photos. Click / tap on any individual image to open the gallery in full.