Emily Maitlis breaks silence on rival Netflix movie Scoop

I’ve left them very much to do their own thing,’ she said

Emily Maitlis has broken her silence on the new Netflix drama Scoop, based on her infamous interview with Prince Andrew.

The film, released on Friday (5 April), depicts the events behind the Duke of York’s car-crash sit down with the BBC broadcaster, played by Gillian Anderson.

“I’ve left them very much to do their own thing because I think the last thing they want is me peeking around the edges offering my [views],” Maitlis told Deadline.

The Newsnight host is also executive producer of a rival three-part Amazon series about the same interview, which will star Ruth Wilson as Maitlis.

(Netflix / Channel 4)

“It says it’s based on a fictional account, so I think it goes into different places and it does different things [to the Amazon series],” she explained.

Her spokesperson later clarified that the term “fictional account” was intended to describe the series as a ”dramatisation”.

The prince was grilled over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as well as his relationship with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. Andrew has always strongly denied all claims.

The disclaimer used by Netflix is: “This film is based on real events – however certain elements have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.”

Maitlis confirmed that she hasn’t watched the movie yet, but would “get around to it at some stage”, adding she was “very excited” about the film and her former colleague Sam McAlister had taken the story to “brand new heights”.

She also denied that the Netflix and Amazon projects were rivals, stating that the duel was “probably overplayed, overstated”.

She added: “This [the Amazon series] will be a very different beast. I’m sure there’s room for both,” she added. “It’s unreal that there is all this interest and all this excitement.”

Netflix’s Scoop is based on the book Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews by former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, who is played in the film by Billie Piper.