ATV Choice: Hugh Grant: Taking on the Tabloids

Channel 4’s Hugh Grant: Taking on the Tabloids follows the actor and the ‘Hacked Off’ campaign in the run-up to the publication of Lord Leveson’s Report on his Inquiry. The show has also unearthed nearly 10-year-old footage of Piers Morgan discussing ‘phone hacking’ by journalists.
The film accompanies Grant as he meets key figures from different sides of the debate and those involved and interested in the Inquiry, and explores the different views of what Lord Leveson’s recommendations might be.
The key part of the documentary which Channel 4 are keen to promote is the fact the programme has obtained exclusive footage dating back to 2003 of the then editor of the Daily Mirror, Pier Morgan, discussing phone hacking with singer Charlotte Church.
Piers Morgan has always said that he knew phone hacking existed however still maintains that he never knowingly used it.

Hugh Grant was given footage never publically seen before.

“The other day at breakfast just before the Tory conference, we were chatting to Charlotte Church and she suddenly remembered that she had interviewed Piers Morgan for a speech she was making and it was videoed and in it he talked about phone hacking. So she has lent us the DVD and this is it,” Hugh Grant explains in the programme.

Transcript of the footage of Piers Morgan specking to Charlotte Church includes Morgan stating that “There was a spate of stories that came out because of mobile phones. When they first came out mobile phones journalists found out that if the celebrity hadn’t changed their pin code, right… You can access, access their voicemail. Just by tapping in a number. Are you really telling me that journalists aren’t going to do that? If they know they can ring up Charlotte Church’s mobile phone, listen to all her messages…”

Hugh Grant: Taking on the Tabloids tonight – Wednesday 28th November – at 8pm on Channel 4