Is the Bodyguard based on a true story? Know its plot and ending
by Aishwarya R | Updated Apr 24, 2023
The Bodyguard
Get ready for a thrilling ride with the hit British TV series "Bodyguard"! Created and written by Jed Mercurio, and produced by World Productions as part of ITV Studios for the BBC, this six-part political thriller is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The story follows Police Sergeant David Budd, played by the talented Richard Madden, a British Army veteran suffering from PTSD, as he takes on the role of principal protection officer for the ambitious Home Secretary Julia Montague, portrayed by Keeley Hawes. Despite his disdain for Montague's politics, Budd is tasked with keeping her safe, and this leads him on a dangerous and intense journey.
The show delves into hotly debated topics such as government surveillance and its regulation, the politics of intervention and terrorism, and the debilitating effects of PTSD. "Bodyguard" first premiered on BBC One on August 26, 2018, and quickly became a fan favorite. In fact, it achieved the highest viewing figures for a new BBC drama in the multichannel era and the highest BBC viewing figures since 2008.
Since its initial success, "Bodyguard" has garnered critical acclaim, with Richard Madden's performance receiving particular praise. The show has been nominated for various awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Drama, with Madden taking home the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama. It was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards.
International fans can also get in on the action, as Netflix has secured a distribution deal to broadcast the show outside of the UK and Ireland.
So sit back, relax, and get ready for a heart-pounding and thought-provoking adventure with "Bodyguard". And with a second series currently in development, there's even more to look forward to!
Is the Bodyguard based on a true story?
No, The Bodyguard is not based on a true story. While Bodyguard is not based on a true story, the show is set in a world that is all too real. The threat of domestic terrorism in the UK is a genuine concern, and the show deals with the legacy of fighting wars in the Middle East, as well as the issue of heightened surveillance.
To ensure accuracy in portraying this world, creator Jed Mercurio assembled a team of advisors, including bodyguards, police officers, politicians, and military personnel. However, the nature of the job meant that these advisors were tight-lipped about their experiences, leaving Richard Madden, who plays the ex-military Personal Protection Officer David Budd, with little to go on.
Despite this challenge, the production team went all out with the bodyguard outfit, down to the vest, and Madden got to participate in action scenes thanks to the show's firearm experts.
In real life, a bodyguard's job is to keep their "principal" safe from all danger, including assassination, theft, kidnapping, violence, and harassment. While they rarely have to put their lives on the line in the UK, the threat is still very real.
As we see in Bodyguard, ambitious politicians like Home Secretary Julia Montague do exist, as do ex-military personnel like Budd working in the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch. By drawing on real-world concerns and consulting with experts, Bodyguard creates a thrilling and believable world that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Is the night agent based on the Bodyguard?
The Night Agent has shot up to the top of the charts on Netflix, with viewers comparing the show to the hit BBC series Bodyguard. Fans have been eagerly awaiting a second season of Bodyguard, which was released five years ago and starred Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes. However, many viewers have been satisfied with The Night Agent, a drama centered around FBI agent Peter Sutherland, played by Gabriel Basso. The show follows Peter as he becomes entangled in a conspiracy theory while working in the basement of the White House. With 10 hour-long episodes to binge, fans have been raving about the show on social media, with many comparing it to Bodyguard. The Night Agent also features Luciane Buchanan, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Sarah Desjardins, and Phoenix Raei. Netflix recently announced that there will be a second season of the show, much to the delight of its fans.
The Bodyguard plot
Here is a plot of Bodyguard for each episode
Episode 1
After thwarting a suicide bomber's attack on a train to London, Police Sergeant David Budd is promoted to serve on the personal detail of Home Secretary Julia Montague. Despite his heroism, there is tension between the two due to their differing views on government actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Montague plans to update RIPA, a move that Budd believes threatens civil rights. Montague's ex-husband suspects her of exploiting the terrorist threat and plotting to replace the Prime Minister. As Budd struggles with PTSD and his troubled marriage, he reconnects with an old army friend named Andy Apsted, who is part of the anti-war Veterans Peace Group and disapproves of Budd's new career.
Episode 2
The Director General of MI5, Stephen Hunter-Dunn, shares with the Home Secretary, Julia Montague, the intelligence that suggests a terrorist plan to attack Sergeant David Budd's children's school. The attack is believed to be in retaliation for Budd's heroic actions in foiling a train bombing. Hunter-Dunn advises Montague to keep the information secret, suspecting a police leak. Montague controversially transfers the investigation of the foiled bombing to MI5, causing friction between her and the police.
In the midst of this, a bomb explodes near Budd's home, killing two terrorists and three police officers. Fearing for his family's safety, Budd's family is relocated to a safe house. Budd is taken off Montague's detail but is later reinstated, and she also arranges for his son to attend a special needs school.
After a sniper attack on Montague's car that kills her driver, Budd pursues and corners the sniper, who is revealed to be his old army friend and anti-war activist, Andy Apsted. Budd conceals their relationship from his colleagues. Despite this, Budd and Montague give in to their attraction and have sex.
The next day, Budd is instructed by his superiors to record Montague's meetings, and they reveal to him that she had prior knowledge of the attack on his children's school.
Episode 3
In the TV series Bodyguard, a man claiming to be Richard Longcross hands Home Secretary Julia Montague a tablet and directs her to use it to access encrypted information. David Budd, Montague's bodyguard and driver, tries to investigate Longcross but finds no information about him. Montague and Budd confront the Prime Minister at Chequers, but the details of their conversation remain undisclosed. Budd is questioned by Counter Terrorism Command detectives Sharma and Rayburn, who seem skeptical of his account of the sniper attack. RIPA 18 is passed in the House of Commons, despite opposition. Mike Travis, the Minister of State for Counter-Terrorism, expresses concern about Montague's relationship with MI5 to her ex-husband and Chief Whip, Roger Penhaligon. After Budd experiences a PTSD episode and chokes Montague, she distances herself from him. However, she later informs him that his children's school was a possible terrorist target and asks him to stay by her side by choice. During Montague's speech, Budd sees her PR advisor, Tahir Mahmood, outside the auditorium but allows him in after checking his briefcase. Moments later, a bomb explodes.
Episode 4
In the aftermath of the bombing, Montague is left critically injured and two of her associates, Knowles and Mahmood, are killed. Travis becomes the Acting Home Secretary and transfers the investigation back to Counter Terrorism Command. The police suspect Mahmood of being responsible for the bombing, but the CCTV footage is inconclusive. Budd becomes a suspect because he failed to detect the bomb when searching Mahmood. Sharma and Rayburn interrogate Budd and search his property. The Prime Minister announces that Montague has died, and CCTV footage reveals that Rob MacDonald, an adviser, gave Mahmood the briefcase. Before MacDonald is questioned by the police, Travis advises him to stick to their pre-planned story.
Budd attempts suicide but survives because someone has replaced the bullets in his gun with blanks. He returns to Montague's hotel and discovers that the security footage has been manipulated to erase Longcross's visit. On orders from Sampson, he joins Rayburn in questioning Nadia, the suicide bomber from the train, to identify who supplied her with explosives. However, Nadia is unable to identify the bomb-maker from the photos she is shown, including one of Mahmood.
Episode 5
After further investigation, it is discovered that the bomb was actually placed under the stage, not in Mahmood's briefcase. Rayburn finds out that the CCTV footage from before the attack was altered, and Budd creates an E-FIT of Longcross. SO15 identifies Apsted as a possible bomb maker due to his past as an army EOD officer. During the interview with Nadia, she identifies Longcross as the man her husband met before the bombing. Budd does some research on the kompromat Montague was given and confronts Penhaligon, accusing him of attempting to steal the tablet while she was in the hospital. Hunter-Dunn denies any involvement with Longcross but still refuses to share information with the police. MacDonald admits that he and the party planned to embarrass Montague by altering her speech, but never intended physical harm.
Budd decides to obtain the same type of sniper rifle that Apsted used, so he meets with a gun dealer. This action attracts the attention of Luke Aikens, a powerful crime lord and another member of the conspiracy. When information about Budd's relationship with Montague and his suicide attempt is leaked, Craddock suspends him from duty and revokes his firearms license. Budd then visits Montague's flat and finds the tablet hidden in a photo frame.
Episode 6
Budd finds himself in a perilous situation as Aikens kidnaps him and puts him in a suicide vest. When the police arrive, they suspect Budd of involvement in the conspiracy and do not believe his story. MI5 is monitoring the scene, and Budd manages to mislead them about the location of the kompromat. Longcross is sent to retrieve it but is arrested when he falls into Budd's trap. Vicky intervenes to prevent the police from shooting Budd, who then leads them to his flat where he disarms the vest with the help of an explosives officer.
Budd learns that Craddock is Aikens's police insider and refrains from killing Aikens. Both Aikens and Craddock are arrested, and Craddock confesses to leaking Montague's movements and enabling her assassination. She reveals that she chose Budd to be Montague's PPO because of his military/PTSD background, which made him an ideal fall guy.
During Nadia's second interview, she admits to lying about recognising Longcross's E-FIT and building the explosive devices herself. Nadia had overheard Budd revealing details about his children while disarming her first suicide vest, and she passed that information to her accomplices for the attack on their school.
The kompromat is leaked, and Budd begins receiving occupational health treatment for PTSD. He travels with Vicky and their children to visit his parents. The Prime Minister and the Director-General of MI5 are forced to resign due to the kompromat leak.
The Bodyguard ending explained
The ending of the Bodyguard is a roller coaster of emotions and revelations that left many viewers on the edge of their seats. The explosive finale brought together all the storylines and loose ends that had been established throughout the season. The ending, in particular, revealed the true villains behind the assassination attempts, as well as the involvement of key players in the conspiracy.
The resolution of the plot was executed in a satisfying way that answered most of the questions raised throughout the season. It was revealed that the assassination attempts were orchestrated by a group of high-ranking officials and politicians in the government, who had sought to maintain their power by eliminating Montague, a popular politician who threatened to expose their corrupt practices. The group had hired Aikens, a notorious crime lord, to orchestrate the attacks, and Craddock, a police insider, had leaked Montague's movements to the group.
The twist in the ending was Nadia's revelation that she was responsible for building the explosive devices herself. She had lied to the police about recognising Longcross's E-FIT and had been the real mastermind behind the attack on Budd's children's school. This revelation showed how the plot had multiple layers, and the viewer's perception of the events throughout the season had been manipulated. It was also a commentary on how terrorist attacks could be planned and executed by individuals with no direct connection to larger organizations, making it difficult for authorities to prevent such attacks.
The ending also showed the aftermath of the events, with Budd seeking occupational health treatment to deal with PTSD. This was a powerful message that highlighted psychological trauma and its impact on individuals who have experienced traumatic events. The final scene, where Budd and Vicky travel with their children to visit his parents, gave the show a satisfying and conclusive ending that provided a sense of closure to the storylines.
The ending of The Bodyguard was a perfect culmination of the events that had taken place throughout the season. It was an exciting, unpredictable, and satisfying conclusion that delivered on the show's promise of a thrilling ride. The twist in the ending was a commentary on the complexities of terrorism and how individuals could be manipulated into carrying out violent acts. Overall, the ending of The Bodyguard was a fitting conclusion to an excellent show that left viewers in awe of the writing and the performances of the actors involved.
The Bodyguard review
The Bodyguard is an intense and thrilling six-part drama series that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. The story follows David Budd, a troubled war veteran who works as a Protection Command Officer assigned to protect the UK's Home Secretary, Julia Montague. As he becomes increasingly embroiled in a web of political conspiracies, his loyalty to his job and his country is tested.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the series has received an impressive 92% approval rating, with critics praising the show's powerful performances, intricate plot, and suspenseful action sequences. The lead actor, Richard Madden, who plays David Budd, has received particular acclaim for his performance as a man struggling with PTSD and addiction.
The series also delves into themes such as terrorism, corruption, and the abuse of power in politics, making it a timely and relevant addition to the thriller genre. The show's unpredictable twists and turns keep viewers guessing until the very end, and the high-stakes finale delivers a satisfying conclusion to the story.
Honestly saying the Bodyguard is a gripping and well-executed thriller that is well worth a watch for fans of the genre. Its blend of political intrigue, action, and character-driven drama makes it a standout series that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.
Is the Bodyguard based on a true story - FAQs
Bodyguard is a British political thriller TV series that follows the story of David Budd, a war veteran and police sergeant, who is assigned as the personal protection officer of UK Home Secretary Julia Montague. As he navigates his duty of protecting Montague, he also uncovers a conspiracy that threatens not only her life but also the stability of the country.
The main characters of Bodyguard are David Budd (played by Richard Madden), a police sergeant and former soldier who is tasked with protecting Julia Montague (played by Keeley Hawes), the UK Home Secretary. Other notable characters include Commander Anne Sampson (played by Gina McKee), Detective Sergeant Louise Rayburn (played by Nina Toussaint-White), and Vicky Budd (played by Sophie Rundle), David's estranged wife.
No, Bodyguard is a work of fiction and is not based on a true story. However, the show's creator, Jed Mercurio, has stated that he conducted research on the role of the UK's Home Secretary and the workings of the police force to ensure that the show is grounded in reality.
Yes, Bodyguard features several violent and intense scenes, including shootings, bombings, and suicide attempts. The show has been rated TV-MA, which means it may not be suitable for children under 17 years old.
Bodyguard has received critical acclaim for its gripping storyline, strong performances, and unpredictable plot twists. The show has a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb and a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans of political thrillers and suspenseful dramas may find Bodyguard to be an engaging and entertaining watch.