Billie Piper ’s new
Netflix film Scoop is a dramatic retelling of how Emily Maitlis came to carry out her now infamous
BBC Newsnight interview with the Duke of York, Prince Andrew. The biographical film, starring Billie Piper and Gillian Anderson , is based on the book Scoops: Behind the Scenes, a series of memoirs written by Sam McAlister, and is expected to be one of Netflix’s most popular films in April. In the Newsnight interview, which took place in November 2019, Prince Andrew was questioned by Maitlis over his relationship with the financier and notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who had died in
prison earlier that year. But who is Sam McAlister, what relationship did she have with the BBC and Newsnight, and who plays her in the Netflix film? Sam McAlister first began her career as a criminal defence barrister after studying at the University of Edinburgh – she was the first person in her family to attend university. After leaving her first main profession, she left the courts and law behind and made her first steps into news and media, eventually getting to work for the BBC. Away from the BBC, Sam is a single parent and has also moonlighted as a professional public speaker. She currently secures work hosting award ceremonies and conferences and is a single parent. Sam McAlister first joined the BBC in 2003, when she worked as a reporter and producer on BBC Radio 4. She worked at the radio station for five years before moving jobs within the organisation. It was in 2008 that she joined the late-night current affairs programme Newsnight as a producer, becoming the show’s full-time interview producer in 2011. During her work as a producer for Newsnight, she secured interviews with the likes of former
United States President,
Bill Clinton, and owner of X Corp,
Elon Musk. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Her landmark achievement as part of the Newsnight team, however, was securing the interview with the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, which was carried out by Emily Matilis. Billie Piper still owes '£9,000,000 debt' to record label BBC iPlayer app is closing down – it’s happening extremely soon Billie Piper knew Christopher Eccleston was 'struggling' during Doctor Who filming Antiques Roadshow legend Nicky Illis dies aged 53 as Fiona Bruce pays tribute Scoop tells the story of how McAlister came to secure the interview, which apparently took a year to organise – she also served as a consultant and executive producer for the film. She left the BBC in 2021. Sam McAlister is played by Doctor Who
Actress Billie Piper, while Gillian Anderson takes on the role of Emily Maitlis. Prince Andrew is portrayed by Rufus Sewell. Piper, who recently revealed she’s still in a significant amount of debt to Virgin Records after her brief but successful career as a pop star in the 1990s, apparently bore so much of a likeness to McAlister that it became hard to tell them apart. The former Newsnight producer told PA: ‘When I tell you on set people couldn’t tell us apart – my own boyfriend couldn’t tell us apart and many of the newspapers couldn’t tell us apart.’ Piper said she was fascinated by the story: ‘I felt like she was this unsung hero.’ Watch Scoop 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. MORE : Billie Piper still owes ‘£9,000,000 debt’ to record label MORE : Billie Piper predicts Emily Maitlis’ reaction to Scoop’s take on Prince Andrew interview MORE : Rufus Sewell reveals biggest ‘temptation’ he had to resist playing Prince Andrew in Scoop