Suranne Jones has stepped into Keir Starmer’s shoes as the British Prime Minister in Netflix’s new thriller Hostage and the show has already proven a hit with viewers.
The new five-part drama – which soared to number 1 on Netflix last week – sees the 46-year-old star as PM Abigail Dalton, battling the opposition at the dispatch box in Parliament or in front of the press corps on Downing Street.
That is, until her private life is suddenly upended. Abigail’s husband Alex (Bashy) is in French Guiana on a Doctors Without Borders project when his group is kidnapped by a masked gang.
The ransom request they send to Abigail says she must resign from office by the following day, or they’ll start picking off doctors one by one.
To make matters worse, this crisis hits just as the French president is visiting London – one she inadvertently slagged off in a hot mic incident.
Get personalised updates on all things Netflix
Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
Played by Before Sunrise star Julie Delpy, Vivienne Toussaint has started to drift to the far right and is using the British visit for political point scoring.
The two world leaders are locked in tense negotiations over Channel boat crossings and NHS medication supplies. But there’s suddenly more to play for when it emerges that Abigail’s husband has been taken on French territory.
Then, the kidnappers let Vivienne know they’ve not only got the PM’s hubby, they’re also holding incredibly incriminating dirt on her too (sex scandal-type stuff).
There’s also, surprisingly, something for the Bridgerton fans. Queen Charlotte’s Corey Mylchreest plays Vivienne’s step-son, fresh off the back of his Netflix turn in My Oxford Year.
If you couldn’t already tell, a lot is going on in this twisting and turning political thriller. But the question many will have been left with after tuning in is, will there be a season two?
The show’s writer hopes so. Matt Charman told Radio Times: ‘I would love to tell more of this story, partly because I love writing for Suranne.
‘I also think there’s something really exciting about who she might go up against next. What her next opposite number might be, you know?
‘Yeah, if we were lucky enough, I’d love to take this story on.’
However, he also said he doubted a follow-up season would again focus on a hostage situation, instead suggesting it would be ‘riffing’ on the meaning of the word.
Ahead of the five-part show’s release on Netflix, Suranne spoke to Metro about the comparisons that had been made between Hostage and tense hit thrillers like Bodyguard and 24.
‘They’re obviously brilliant shows, and people love them,’ she said. ‘I think that the fast pace of those shows is what we have, the energy.
‘But the difference is, there are two female leads and that is the beauty of it. It’s unusual to delve over five episodes into two women, so I think that’s our USP.’
Suranne’s co-star Julie added: ‘Usually there’s one woman and all men around managing her. Here it’s like women managing everything else.’
A version of this article was originally published on August 21.
Hostage is available to stream on Netflix.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
