Sky has announced a new four-part series called The Wargame, which will place former politicians, military figures and intelligence experts inside a simulated national emergency involving a fictional Russian attack on Britain. Based on the award-winning Sky News podcast of the same name, the series blends documentary and drama, placing participants in a sealed COBR-style crisis room where they must respond to escalating threats and make decisions under intense pressure.
Former Conservative minister Michael Gove will take on the role of prime minister within the simulation, while former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon will serve as deputy prime minister. The fictional cabinet will also include Penny Mordaunt as defence secretary, Harriet Harman as home secretary, Jim Murphy as foreign secretary and Sayeeda Warsi as attorney general.
The wider cast features former NATO secretary-general George Robertson, former British ambassador to the United States Kim Darroch, former intelligence officer Christopher Steele, General Sir Richard Barrons and political commentator Ayesha Hazarika. Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci will also appear in the role of US secretary of state.
Set six months in the future, The Wargame has been developed with academics, military advisers and defence experts, including Sky News security and defence editor Deborah Haynes. The scenario is designed to replicate the pressures faced by leaders during a major national security crisis.
Throughout the series, participants will face rolling news reports, military intelligence, social media updates and unexpected developments, forcing them to make decisions with potentially far-reaching consequences.
Phil Edgar-Jones, Executive Director of Unscripted Originals at Sky, said the original podcast highlighted the difficult choices leaders could face during a military threat and described the television adaptation as a chance to bring that experience to a wider audience.
Produced by The Garden, part of ITV Studios, The Wargame follows a growing trend of factual entertainment placing real public figures into simulated scenarios. The series explores how governments, institutions and individuals respond when a crisis begins to spiral beyond their control.
For CultureCues, this is one of the more unusual television commissions of the year. Whether viewers tune in for the geopolitical questions, the decision-making process or simply the novelty of the cast involved, The Wargame is likely to attract plenty of attention when it arrives.
The Wargame will air on Sky and NOW in September 2026.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.