A kidnapping, political upheaval, and impossible decisions – it’s all about to kick off in Netflix’s new limited series Hostage.
And Suranne Jones is right at the heart of it. Stepping into the role of fictional Prime Minister Abigail Dalton, Suranne is set to keep us all on the edge of our seats as she is put in “extreme circumstances” when her husband is kidnapped. With the kidnappers demanding she resign immediately to get him back, all she can do for the sake of her family and the country at large is hope she makes the right decision.
Enticed? So are we! And we don’t have to wait long until the five-part series hits our screens. But, in the meantime, this is everything we know about the upcoming series Hostage.
What is Suranne Jones’s Netflix series Hostage about?
Suranne Jones’s new Netflix series Hostage follows the story of fictional UK Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (played by Suranne) as she navigates her husband’s kidnapping, which just so happens to coincide with her historic meeting with the also fictional French President Vivienne Toussaint (played by Julie Delpy).
On the eve of their meeting, Dalton learns that her husband Alex has been taken hostage and that the kidnappers are demanding she resign immediately, or they’ll kill him. “If it ever comes down to a choice, you’ll make the right one,” Alex (played by Ashley Thomas) tells her at the beginning of the show’s trailer. But the decision isn’t as easy as it first seems.
The kidnapping is just the surface of what turns out to be a massive blackmail plot that also targets the French president. These two heads of state must now put their opposed politics aside and work together to uncover the motivation behind the attacks so their political futures, and lives, are not completely and totally destroyed – and, of course, they need to get Alex back.
Did we mention that the world is also watching their every move? No pressure then…
Speaking to Tudum, Suranne said that her character “is put in such extreme circumstances, and we see that when push comes to shove, she puts her country over her family. The original, working title for the series was The Choice, and that’s why.”
She added, “I’m thrilled to be on Netflix, in something I’m really proud of. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
"We’d talked about projects previously, but for me, it was about finding the right thing. Hostage was perfect — me and Matt (Charman, the show’s writer) together, backed up by this brilliant, supportive team. I loved it.”
Charman had just as much fun working with Suranne, saying, “I’ve been dying to find the right story to tell with Suranne and I honestly believe what she’s done with this character is going to blow the Netflix audience away. An embattled British PM in the middle of a fight for her country and her family — she’s fierce, ruthless, and you can’t take your eyes off of her.”
When Will Netflix’s Hostage be released?
All five episodes of Suranne Jones’s Hostage will be released exclusively on Netflix on 21 August, 2025.
Watch the trailer for Suranne Jones’s new Netflix series Hostage
Is Netflix’s Hostage based on a true story?
No, Netflix's Hostage is not based on a true story. As well as the entire plot being fictional, all the characters mentioned in the show are completely made up, too.
Instead of being inspired by true events, the show's writer, Matt Charman, wanted to explore what the possible political and personal fallout from a kidnapping and blackmail plot could be in the real world, should it ever happen on such a scale as in Hostage.
Meet the cast of Hostage
Suranne Jones will be joined by a stellar cast of actors in Netflix’s Hostage, with French/American actress Julie Delpy taking up the role of the French President Vivienne Toussaint. Fans of 90s rom-coms will know Delpy well, with her starring previously in the heartbreaking Before film trilogy; Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and After Midnight. Alongside these two main characters, we will see faces including;
- Corey Mylchreest, from the Netflix hits Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and The Sandman
- Lucian Msamati, who we know and love from Conclave as well as Gangs of London
- Ashley Thomas
- James Cosmo
- Martin McCann
- Jehnny Beth
