Scoop

Available on Netflix

This dramatic retelling of the BBC’s infamous 2019 interview with the disgraced Prince Andrew is moulded in the image of Ron Howard’s seminal Frost/Nixon, but has an awkward comedic undertone that prevents it from being anywhere near as impactful.

Still, the performances of Scoop’s cast - in particular that of Billie Piper and Rufus Sewell - and its forensic recreation of the aforementioned examination ensure that it remains an enjoyable watch throughout. Piper continues her recent rich vein of form with a compelling portrayal of Sam McAlister, the feisty ‘Newsnight’ booker whose titular 2022 book provides the basis for Peter Moffat and Geoff Bussetil’s screenplay, while Sewell gives us a hefty Andrew that could be mistaken for the less sinister twin brother of Dune’s Baron Harkonnen.

As suggested, the tone of Scoop means that it doesn’t exactly do justice to the victims of Andrew’s deceased pal and general wrongen Jeffrey Epstein, with director Philip Martin instead electing for a lighter approach that perhaps deprives his film of genuine substance. Nonetheless, with Gilian Anderson and Keeley Hawes on support duties, the talent involved means Scoop is worth your time, especially given its breezy runtime.