Channel 4 TV Launches New Cyber Thriller

Channel 4 has recently launched its latest marketing campaign for the much anticipated new six-part cyber thriller The Undeclared War. This series focuses on a cyber attack threatening the UK. The campaign, produced by Channel 4’s multi-award winning in house creative agency 4Creative and planned by OMD UK, imagines the real-world consequences of a nationwide cyber-attack hitting the UK.

The series stars Adrian Lester in his role as Prime Minister Rt Hon Andrew Makinde and Simon Pegg in his role as Head of Operations at GCHQ Daniel Patrick in the series, delivered an urgent warning of imminent cyber threat to the UK in the style of an emergency government briefing.

Carrying on the narrative of a real-life threat to the country, fictional Prime Minister Rt Hon Andrew Makinde will issues a public message “We have learnt that the UK is under threat of imminent cyber attack by an as-yet-unknown foreign power. Your safety is our priority” before the transmission is mysteriously cut short, undermining his words of assurance.

The promotional campaign for the new drama features a leaked confidential message from GCHQ, which will be redacted before the public's eyes to reveal the tagline of the show: “The next front line is online”.

The Undeclared War is described as a provocative six-part cyber-thriller, created, directed and co-written by multiple BAFTA-winner Peter Kosminsky. Set in a post-pandemic 2024 in the run-up to a British general election, the drama tracks a leading team of analysts buried in the heart of GCHQ secretly working to ward off a cyber-attack on the country’s electoral system.

The series stars Hannah Khalique-Brown, Simon Pegg, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Edward Holcroft, Adrian Lester, Alex Jennings, German Segal, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Hattie Morahan, Ed Stoppard, Kerry Godliman and Mark Rylance.

Kosminsky directed all six episodes and has written four. Other writers include Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, and Amelia Spencer. Kosminsky Executive Produced alongside Colin Callender and Noëlette Buckley for Playground. Robert Jones was the Producer. Lynsey Atkin, Executive Creative Director, 4Creative, said: “It’s not often the darkest possibilities of the modern world prove exciting to delve into, but it’s been fascinating developing this campaign and working with Peter Kosminsky to make it as believable, and as unnerving, as possible.”

Zaid Al-Qassab, Chief Marketing Officer, Channel 4, said: “Since Orson Welles first terrified the nation with his War of the Worlds broadcast, the idea of feeling that the nation is at the centre of a drama has thrilled audiences...  The Undeclared War, is so relevant to our current global context that we wanted viewers to feel the jeopardy to our very way of life.  We think this campaign really brings the reality of cyber war into people’s homes.”

Channel4     Media Leader:     TVZone:   Gloucestershite Live:    Media Mole:    Radio Times:   Image: Channel4

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