Sky adapts political crisis podcast The Wargame for TV, featuring Michael Gove

The Wargame is being produced by The Garden

Justin Downing

UK pay TV broadcaster Sky has commissioned an immersive documentary format called The Wargame, adapted from the Sky News podcast of the same name.

Produced by The Garden, the ITV Studios-owned prodco behind Squid Game: The Challenge, the 4×60’ series features politicians and public figures including Michael Gove, former Conservative cabinet minister, and Nicola Sturgeon, the former leader of the Scottish National Party.

In a crisis-room-style environment, the cast take on roles such as prime minister, defence secretary and attorney general as they navigate a fictional high-stakes scenario: a Russian attack on UK soil.

Rolling news bulletins, social media footage, military and intelligence reports and unexpected interventions create a series of minute-by-minute dilemmas, forcing the ‘Cabinet’ to grapple with critical decisions.

The format is based on The Wargame, a podcast that debuted in 2025, presented by Sky News security and defence editor Deborah Haynes and produced in partnership with Tortoise.

Phil Edgar-Jones, executive director of unscripted originals at Sky, said: “A year ago, Sky News’ groundbreaking original podcast The Wargame captivated listeners, shedding light on the impossible choices our country’s leaders face under escalating military threat.

“Now, working with the talented team at The Garden, we’re bringing The Wargame to new audiences in a visceral new TV format, which will challenge some of the most experienced political and military minds in the country to imagine how they might respond under threat of war. At a time when we are facing increasing threats from all sides, this series couldn’t be more timely.”