Hugh Grant was offered the part of Prime Minister in infamous Black Mirror episode The National Anthem
The unforgettable first chapter in Charlie Brooker's anthology almost looked very different.
Hugh Grant almost played the lead role in Black Mirror's shocking first episode The National Anthem, the actor has revealed.
The darkly comedic drama from Charlie Brooker sees a fictional member of the British royal family get kidnapped, with her captors demanding the Prime Minister has sex with a pig on live television.
The satirical piece explored themes associated with the rise of social media as well as the relationship between political figures and the general public, garnering generally positive reviews upon its initial broadcast.
The Prime Minister is played by Rory Kinnear, also known for playing Bill Tanner in the most recent set of James Bond films, but the role almost went to someone else entirely.
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In an interview with Digital Spy, Hugh Grant revealed that he was offered the role of the besieged PM, but was unable to take it on due to other commitments.
He said: "I've got this feeling I was offered a part in one [Black Mirror] ages ago. Was there one in which the Prime Minister has to have sex with a pig?
"Yeah. I think I was offered a part in that. Maybe I was the Prime Minister. I can't remember. But I knew I couldn't do it at the time. I think I was busy doing something else. I was making some film. I really can't remember. It was a long time ago."
The news comes shortly after Grant collaborated with Brooker on the Netflix mockumentary Death to 2020, which attempted to be a light-hearted retrospective on the year that was, but was met with a frosty reception from critics.
Grant had previously portrayed a British Prime Minister in the festive romantic comedy Love Actually and, knowing Brooker's sharp media savvy, this could be one reason why he wanted him in the role.
The actor is coming out of a remarkably strong year for his career, starring in both Guy Ritchie's gangster comedy The Gentlemen and Sky Atlantic's popular crime thriller The Undoing.
Black Mirror is available to stream on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best TV series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
