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1 INT. DOWNING STREET BEDROOM - NIGHT 1
It’s very dark in here. Virtually the only thing we can make out is a double bed with a couple slumbering beneath a duvet. Beside the bed, a Blackberry thrums into life, on vibrate. From the bed, a man’s hand blearily reaches for the Blackberry, but manages instead to knock it onto the carpet, where it continues to thrum away. He grunts slightly. The Blackberry stops humming. For a moment, all is quiet again. Then another phone rings: an office desk phone, beside the bed. Sighing, he reaches over and switches on a lamp. Now we see him: Michael Callow: early forties. His wife Jane rolls over, pulls the covers up around her. Glancing at the clock beside the bed (5.13am), Michael lifts the receiver with a faintly resigned, apprehensive air. MICHAEL Hello. He listens. MICHAEL (CONT’D) Just tell me what’s happened. He listens. Whoever’s on the phone is saying something, but not giving him the basics: what is happening? MICHAEL (CONT’D) What is it? The voice on the other end says something. Something that wakes him up. His face drains of what little colour the night had left it with. MICHAEL (CONT’D) I’ll be right down. He hangs up and sits, slightly stunned, for a moment. Jane has woken up herself. She touches his arm to comfort him. JANE What’s happened? MICHAEL (staring into space) Susannah. JANE Susannah? MICHAEL Princess Susannah. He rips back the bedclothes and reaches for a dressing gown.
JANE
Is she alright? Michael heads for the door. MICHAEL I don’t know. 2 INT. DOWNING STREET BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT 2 A large oak panelled room. Prime Minister Michael Callow sits at a large conference room table, a coffee in front of him, still in his dressing gown. We hear muted sobs. Female. Coming from a speaker. But for now, we’re watching the people in this room. It’s a COBRA meeting. Aside from Michael there are four others present. Sitting to his right: Alex Cairns, Home Secretary, in her early 50s, smartly dressed. Also present: Julian Hereford, DG * of MI5 -- also smartly dressed. Standing at the back of the room, Director of Communications Tom Bilce, in trendy specs. * There’s also a steely looking man in his mid-30s: Section Chief Walker, also MI5, standing by a plasma screen which is * currently demanding everyone’s attention. The screen from which the sobs are emanating. It’s hooked up to a laptop in * front of Julian. * On screen, an attractive woman in her 20s. Mascara running * down her face. Cut-glass accent. We only see her from the shoulders up: straps of a summer dress and fresh bruises. It’s Princess Susannah. Clearly in great distress. Tied in position, arms behind her back as far as we can tell. She looks off to the side: there’s someone standing there, behind the lens. Someone we can’t see. SUSANNAH Don’t kill me. We see Michael’s ashen face, as he watches. Then back to the screen as an electronic voice - one of the standard ones included with modern laptops - speaks, off-mic, to the Princess. ELECTRONIC VOICE Read the statement. SUSANNAH Please don’t kill me. ELECTRONIC VOICE Read the statement.
WALKER
Two PPOs; still unconscious. MICHAEL Unconscious? WALKER Heavy sedative, close range, each with a single puncture wound, no sign of struggle. Michael gestures at the screen, dazed. MICHAEL What do they want, money? No-one says anything. MICHAEL (CONT’D) Release a jihadi? Scrap 3rd world * debt? * (exasperated by silence) Save the fucking libraries? JULIAN We believe both the video and the demand it contains to be genuine. MICHAEL (shouting) What demand? Beat. * ALEX What Susannah says next... it concerns you directly sir. Michael stares at her. Looks round at all of them. None of his aides are making eye contact. He’s worked alongside Alex and Tom for three years. Now they won’t look at him. Julian is also looking at the table. This already bad situation just took a lurch towards nightmarish. Callow looks at Walker, who is regarding him with a glimmer of sympathy. WALKER This is actually happening sir. MICHAEL (quieter) Just play it. Julian hits his keyboard. The video resumes. *
SUSANNAH
... can’t... please... I don’t want to die. She dissolves into sobs. We hear fast off-camera typing. ELECTRONIC VOICE Continue to read the statement. Susannah looks back at the lens. SUSANNAH There is only one demand. And it is a simple one. At 4pm this afternoon Prime Minister Michael Callow must appear on live television, on all British networks -- terrestrial and satellite -- and... no. ELECTRONIC VOICE Continue to read the statement -- SUSANNAH ... on all British networks, terrestrial and satellite -- and have full unsimulated sexual intercourse with a pig. (sob; looks offscreen) I don’t understand. Julian pauses the recording again, just as a list of instructions appears. JULIAN The video ends with a series of technical specifications for the broadcast. We watch MICHAEL’s face register 500 bewilderments at once. He tries to speak. Nothing. He almost laughs. Then thinks again. He looks around: no-one makes eye contact. Finally: MICHAEL Why are you doing this? (beat) It’s a joke, right? Ha ha Mike. Ho ho. There is more silence. JULIAN It’s real. Michael stares at the table. Then back at the screen. Then at Alex, his confidant. MICHAEL Did she say “pig”? Sex with a pig.
MICHAEL
Yes -- no! Not everyone! Dedicated core team. This can’t go wide. He looks at Tom Bilce. MICHAEL (CONT’D) And keep it so far from the press it’s on the other side of Jupiter. Tom opens his mouth awkwardly. * MICHAEL (CONT’D) It only exists in this room. TOM It’s already outside it. That’s another blow. Michael’s rattled by it: MICHAEL If there’s hacks sniffing round, shut them down. Tom looks like he wants to say something. MICHAEL (CONT’D) Bright red D-notice. Super-fucking- Godzilla-injunction with ten-inch Whitehall fangs. Before Tom can answer, Julian interjects. JULIAN This video came from YouTube. Michael spins around, agape. MICHAEL What? WALKER It was uploaded via an encrypted IP over an hour ago. MICHAEL Well get it off there! JULIAN We did, after nine minutes. But that was long enough for it to be downloaded, duplicated, and spread. MICHAEL Spread? How many people have seen this?
JULIAN
We take one down, six clones pop up elsewhere. It’s viral. MICHAEL How many people? WALKER 50,000. That’s our current estimate. Michael is silenced as that unfurls in his head. Then: TOM The newsrooms have got it. MICHAEL (alarm) They’re running this on air? ALEX No. We put a type five D-notice out immediately, and they’re complying. TOM For now. Michael’s spooked. Alex shoots Tom a look: not helpful. TOM (CONT’D) (ominously) It’s trending on Twitter. Michael looks at the screen, once again struck dumb. He looks around the room; he might cry. Then he thumps the table hard. MICHAEL FUCKING INTERNET! ALEX (calmly) Well, yes. MICHAEL So now what? What’s the playbook? JULIAN It’s new territory, Prime Minister. There is no playbook. Michael looks more puce than ever. Rubs his eyes. MICHAEL Christ. END OF PART ONE
LUCINDA TOWNE *
... the Tillsdale fire inquiry hears * harrowing 999 calls * made by trapped residents as flames * engulfed the building. * LAUREN Why’s it not on the news? 5 SCENE 5 OMITTED 5 6 EXT. UKN NEWS BUILDING - DAY 1. EARLY MORNING 6 It’s early morning. We’re looking at a glass-and-steel building. A bit Horseferry Road. A sign with a big UKN News logo. Over this, we hear a woman’s voice. The newsreader. LUCINDA TOWNE (V.O.) * Shut Down: The Tate Modern's * controversial 'Agitation' * exhibition closes three weeks ahead * of schedule, amidst criticism from * the Culture Secretary. * 7 INT. UKN NEWS STUDIO - DAY 1. EARLY MORNING 7 A modern rolling news studio. From one side of the camera, we see morning shift news anchor Lucinda Towne reading * headlines. LUCINDA TOWNE * In the Clear: Footballer Geraint * Fitch has been cleared of any * wrongdoing following a * confrontation with the paparazzi * outside a Manchester restaurant. * 8 INT. UKN NEWS ROOM FOUR - DAY 1. EARLY MORNING 8 This is a meeting room designed to accommodate about twelve people comfortably. Right now it’s holding almost double that, some seated round the table, some standing. On the table a laptop shows the Princess Susannah video. A debate is in full flow. Doing most of the talking are: two reporters, Malaika (female, attractive, late 20s) and Damon (late 30s). Outranking them are Shelly, Day Editor (late 30s) and Martin, Executive Editor (early 40s). Martin sits at the head of the table. DAMON How would we even describe it? An “indecent act”?
MALAIKA
Everyone’s seen the video; they already know the full-- SHELLY If we mentioned bestiality pre- watershed Ofcom’d be seriously pissed off-- MALAIKA (snorting) Fuck Ofcom. MARTIN We’re still honouring the D-notice - SHELLY But surel-- MARTIN (raised voice) We are honouring the D-notice MALAIKA (sotto) The voluntary D-notice... MARTIN (looking at Malaika) It may be a ‘sportsman-like gesture’ but we’re making it. (he looks around) A woman’s life’s at stake. We follow procedure. Malaika holds up her iPhone to display Tweetdeck. MALAIKA (brandishing iPhone) My timeline consists 100 percent of viewers asking why we’re not covering it. How do I reply? MARTIN You don’t. MALAIKA That’s totally backwards-- MARTIN No-one’s breaking rank. Not the * Beeb, not Sky, not -- DAMON (unhelpfully) I hear Facebook’s coverage is pretty comprehensive.
MARTIN (CONT’D)
Malaika, update the Princess obit VT. Wow. To Malaika, that’s an insult. MALAIKA The obit VT. * Finally Martin looks at Shelly. He puts his hand on her * shoulder. * MARTIN * Shelly -- you’re fired. * Shelly looks aghast. * MARTIN (CONT’D) * Seriously, get out. * Shelly goes to open her mouth. * MARTIN (CONT’D) * (deadpan) * Okay that was a lie. I’ll be in the * gallery with you, if you can bear that. (sighing) But first... an awkward phonecall. Least I can do is warn Tom. As MARTIN exits the room, we see MALAIKA is texting someone. * 9 INT. NUMBER TEN CORRIDOR - DAY 1. EARLY MORNING 9 A twenty-something press assistant called ANDREW is glancing * at an incoming message on his Blackberry -- we don’t see it -- * but then quickly hurries off screen, as he hears, bombing * round the corner, Tom Bilce on the phone. Tom looks furious, * but daren’t raise his voice too much. TOM We put a D-notice on it! MARTIN (on phone) It’s global, Tom. TOM Don’t. I’m begging you. MARTIN (on phone) You’re begging me? TOM Don’t run it Martin.
MARTIN
(on phone) I’m sorry: I can’t help you Tom. Two Downing Street staff members brush past Tom; he nods at one, lowers his voice further. Once they’re out of earshot, he hisses violently into the mouthpiece. TOM (furious, hissing) Know how much help you’re getting from here on in? Multiply nothing by shit all. UKN’s dead to us. * Shove it up your arse you f-- Just then the door he’s standing beside opens -- Alex appears in it. Tom abruptly hangs up. Alex eyes Tom with suspicion. * ALEX (pointing at phone) Interesting? TOM A man. * ALEX A man? TOM A man. Beat. ALEX (quietish) Tom, so you’re across it... I’m * exploring contingency plans. * Tom gives her a look. * 10 EXT. BANKSIDE STUDIOS - DAY 1 10 A TV Studios. But there’s something strange about it: specifically, we see, a police officer near the door, turning a member of staff away. 11 INT. BANKSIDE STUDIOS CORRIDOR - DAY 1 11 On the walls: the occasional framed shot of celebs and gameshows. This place is commonly used for mainstream TV. A besuited special agent named CALLETT -- Government type, about 35, is on the move toward the studio, flanked by two armed special officers. They pass a corridor -- CALLETT quickly points down it.
Knows his shit, that’s tough. * (back to the list) * “Fruition” to be transmitted in * full? What’s -- * (thinks for a moment; answers own thought) Ah. Yeah. CALLETT Just focus on the visuals. Different face mapped onto a live... (not sure of the word) performer... with those stipulations. NOEL Fringes of possibility... CALLETT Deadline’s at four. Need to know if it’s workable by two. NOEL Can’t happen. CALLETT It has to. Any kit you need -- any kit, it’s yours. NOEL Mate, I’m good, but I’m not Jesus Christ. As CALLETT walks off; not even looking back at NOEL... CALLETT He didn’t have computers. 14 INT. HOSPITAL CASUALTY AREA - DAY 14 * This is a Casualty waiting area with seating, a reception * desk, and a plasma TV on the wall near the Reception Desk to * keep waiting patients occupied. *
NOEL (CONT'D)
The plasma TV is tuned to UKN News, upon which Lucinda Towne * is still blahing on about anything other than this. Footage * of BIN COLLECTION VAN and headline REFUSE ROW. * A slim nurse, BRIAN, is near the desk. Also an orderly, PIKE * (boorish guy in ironic T-shirt). They’re both looking at the * telly. LAUREN arrives and takes her place behind the desk. * LAUREN Is it still not on telly? BRIAN Nothing. Must be a hoax. PIKE * Or a blackout. Just then, the onscreen strap is replaced by a whooshing BREAKING NEWS logo. PIKE (CONT’D) Woah, heads up. LUCINDA TOWNE * (shift in tone to suggest * this is potentially * monumentally upsetting * news for most viewers) * Some major breaking news now here * on UKN. * PIKE (shouting back to some * other staff) * It’s real! Everyone else in the area looks up. Now it’s real. * 15 INT. UKN NEWS STUDIO - DAY 1 15 Full screen on the news report. The BIG BREAKING NEWS STRAP * resolves to PRINCESS KIDNAPPED Beneath that in smaller text: * Susannah Duchess of Beaumont has been kidnapped. * NB TEXT IN BOLD ITALICS WILL BE WHAT IS HEARD IN THE * FOLLOWING SCENES. * LUCINDA * In the last few minutes it's been * confirmed that Susannah, Duchess of * Beaumont has been kidnapped. A * video uploaded anonymously to the * internet appears to depict the * Princess pleading for her life. * STILLS FROM THE VIDEO; PRINCESS KIDNAPPED strap stays up. *
19 INT. WORKSHOP - CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 19
Some kind of workshop, in which a man in paint-spattered overalls has stopped to watch a small TV in the background. He drinks a cup of coffee while watching the broadcast. LUCINDA * As police round up potential * suspects across the nation this UKN * News viewer video shows armed * officers raiding an address in * Bradford. A man thought to be * connected with a religious pressure * group can be seen being dragged to * a waiting van. * On the screen: shaky iPhone-quality video footage of guys * being bundled into the back of a van by armed cops (OR VANS * SIMPLY OUTSIDE AN ADDRESS). * 20 INT. DOWNING STREET BRIEFING ROOM - DAY 1. 20 Michael is doing up a shirt - he’s just got changed. Walker passes him a sheet of paper containing a list of names. Some are organizations -- from Animal Rights to Muslims4Sharia -- others are named individuals. WALKER Our embeds have ruled out the major players: it’s not AQ, not IRA. This is what’s left. Radicals, hate groups, people who’ve threatened yourself or the Royals... JULIAN They’re being brought in as we speak. MICHAEL For more than questioning I hope. (looking at list) Someone knows something. 21 INT. HOSPITAL CASUALTY AREA - DAY 1 21 * In the casualty area they’re still transfixed by the breaking * news. LUCINDA (on screen) Two guards in the princess’s security detail were reportedly rendered unconscious during the kidnap.
PIKE
(eating a biscuit) If it’s terrorists they’ll take her head off. BRIAN Fuck sake, man. PIKE Just saying. 22 SCENE OMITTED 22 23 SCENE OMITTED 23 23A INT. NASH ARMS PUB - CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 23A SONIA, a barmaid-landlady in her early thirties, is behind the bar, preparing pumps for the day’s trade and being distracted by a portable TV in the corner on which the news is being broadcast. Behind her, her faintly nerdy 13-year-old mixed race son has wandered downstairs and is half-watching the news, half-playing a handheld videogame. LUCINDA (ON SCREEN) * The video also depicts the Princess * reciting a statement containing a * bizarre ransom demand of a personal * nature involving the Prime * Minister. * SONIA (eyes on TV) They’ll be asking for a million quid or something. SON (gawping at game) They want him to do it with a pig. SONIA (annoyed by that) Go to school. The boy exits. *
24 INT. DOWNING STREET STAIRWELL - DAY 1 24 TOM BILCE bustles toward his office, Blackberry beeping every few seconds. Beside him, a young assistant called CAMILLA, referring to an iPad, updates him on coverage so far.
