BBC One has commissioned brand new drama The Trick – a 90-minute film about the 2009 Climategate Scandal set to star Jason Watkins and Jerome Flynn.

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Written by Welsh playwright Owen Sheers, The Trick follows Professor Philip Jones, the Director of Climate Research at the University of East Anglia, as he finds himself "at the eye of an international media storm and the victim of cyberterrorism".

With Line of Duty star Watkins set to play Philip Jones, the film looks at the devastating consequences of climate change denial, how a media storm undermined public confidence in the science, the "unjustified persecution of Phil Jones" and the support he received from his wife Ruth (Doctor Foster's Victoria Hamilton).

Rounding off the stellar The Trick cast are Pride's George MacKay, Game of Thrones star Flynn, Keeping Faith's Aneirin Hughes, The A Word's Pooky Quesnel, The Pact's Richard Elfyn, Finding Alice's Rhashan Stone, Hanna's Justin Salinger, Line of Duty's Tara Divina and Time's David Calder, who'll be filming in Cardiff, London and Norfolk.

Speaking about the upcoming role, Watkins said: "It is rare that a drama marries the personal and the public in such a compelling way – the urgent need to tackle the effects of the earth's warming is not going away and the research into this project has been sobering.

"It is a privilege to play the brilliant scientist, Phil Jones, whose own private world was so threatened from outside and whose research and efforts have been so vital globally in combating the effects of climate change. I’m delighted to be performing alongside Victoria, the whole exceptional cast and with Pip Broughton, whose singular and beautiful work I so admire."

Hamilton added: "This project is a call to arms in favour of the climate change cause, and I’m genuinely thrilled to be part of it."

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Looking for something else to watch? Take a look at our other Drama coverage, or find out what else is on with our TV Guide.

Authors

Lauren Morris
Lauren MorrisEntertainment and Factual Writer
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