Hostage (TV series)

Lore & Background

The series follows an international summit between the British and French leaders that goes awry when the husband of the British Prime Minister is kidnapped and the French president is blackmailed. Suranne Jones plays Abigail Dalton, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who previously served as junior Foreign Minister. Julie Delpy portrays Vivienne Toussaint, the President of France who is running for re-election. The cast also includes Corey Mylchreest as Toussaint's activist stepson, Lucian Msamati as the Downing Street Chief of Staff, and Ashley Thomas as Dalton's husband, a member of Doctors Without Borders who is kidnapped in French Guiana.

Reader's Guide

Hostage received mixed to positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned an 82% approval rating based on 33 critic reviews, with the consensus noting the authoritative performances of Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy. Metacritic gave a score of 62 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian rated it 4/5, calling it a rollicking and compulsive yarn. James Delingpole of The Spectator was critical, describing the series as an act of cultural aggression. The series was produced by Netflix and Binocular Productions, with filming taking place in the UK and La Palma on the Canary Islands.

Did You Know?

• The series was filmed under the working title 'The Choice'.
• Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy were confirmed in the lead roles in March 2024.
• The husband of the British Prime Minister is kidnapped in French Guiana.
• The series consists of five episodes.