The acclaimed Australian drama series The Newsreader is finally arriving on British screens, with the show due to debut on BBC Two on 24th July 2022.
Starring Mindhunter’s Anna Torv, the series is set in 1986 and follows an Australian nightly news show and the journalists that work there.
“The Newsreader takes us back to 1986 – when Halley’s Comet was a must see, the AIDS crisis was taking hold and the Challenger explosion shocked the world,” the series synopsis reads.
“Amongst it all, newsreader Helen Norville (Anna Torv) is determined to build her credibility, while her colleague Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) is desperate to become a newsreader. From messy beginnings, they will form an unlikely bond that will transform the very fabric of the nightly news bulletin.”
However, how much of the series is based on real-life, and are the characters in the series inspired by real journalists from the 1980s?
Is The Newsreader inspired by a true story?
The cast of colourful characters in The Newsreader are all fictional; any similarities to real-life people from the same period are purely coincidental.
However, many of the events depicted in The Newsreader really did happen, for example, the Challenger space shuttle disaster depicted in episode one in 1986.
In terms of British news mentioned in episode one, the show also accurately depicts coverage of the Westland Helicopter affair of 1985-1986 and how it impacted then-British Prime Minister Margaret Tatcher and her government’s reputation.
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Likewise, the show pays close attention to period-correct details, such as what hairstyle or jewellery the newsreader Helen Norville (Anna Torv) wears, the clothes various characters wear, and the songs playing on the radio – for example, Mr Mister’s 1980s hit Kyrie plays in episode one.
What didn’t The Newsreader get right?
Some statements made during the series appear to have the benefit of hindsight. For example, in April 1986 the newsreaders named Chernobyl as the worst-ever nuclear disaster, before all the facts about the event would have emerged and become public knowledge.
Likewise, the timing of some announcements is tweaked to better fit within an episode timeline. For example, the engagement of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is suggested to have taken place near the end of March 1986 instead of mid-February.
The Newsreader will begin airing on BBC Two on 24th July 2022. Looking for something else to watch? Visit our Drama hub or check out our TV Guide.
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