Gove is PM – with Nicola Sturgeon as his deputy

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Michael Gove will play the British prime minister in Sky's drama *The Wargame*, which depicts government leaders, including Nicola Sturgeon as deputy, managing a fictional nuclear missile threat to the UK. The series highlights the high-pressure decision-making involved in national security crises and has sparked debate over the appropriateness of using real political figures to dramatize such serious scenarios.

Michael Gove will portray the role of British prime minister in an upcoming Sky television drama centered on a fictional thermo-nuclear crisis, with Nicola Sturgeon cast as his deputy. The program, titled *The Wargame*, explores a scenario in which intercontinental ballistic missiles are reportedly detected heading toward the United Kingdom, prompting government officials to manage an escalating national emergency.

The series’ premise places Gove’s character at the forefront of decision-making during an imagined conflict involving missile threats from Russia. The fictional narrative raises questions about the prime minister’s response, including the potential use of the UK’s nuclear deterrent system, Trident. As part of the drama, Gove and Sturgeon navigate the high-stakes environment marked by incomplete information and intense pressure.

Sturgeon, the former Scottish first minister, has drawn attention in current public discourse due to past controversies involving financial irregularities connected to her former husband, Peter Murrell. The show’s depiction of her as deputy prime minister during a national crisis has sparked commentary on her capability to oversee such scenarios, given those prior issues.

Additional political figures participating in the series include Penny Mordaunt, a former Conservative defense secretary and ex-MP, and Harriet Harman, a longtime Labour politician and former deputy party leader. Mordaunt’s involvement follows her previous appearance in a reality television program, while Harman’s casting has prompted questions about her role in the dramatization.

While nuclear conflict remains a matter of serious geopolitical concern amid ongoing tensions involving Russia, some observers have debated the appropriateness of dramatizing such scenarios in entertainment television. Supporters of the series argue it serves a public information function by illustrating government protocols during extreme threats. Critics suggest that casting prominent political figures in a reality-style format risks trivializing the subject matter.

Participants in the program may be motivated by various factors, including public engagement, media exposure, and opportunities to reshape personal reputations. For Gove, the role represents a chance to portray the prime minister — a position he has long expressed interest in — within a high-profile project exploring national security challenges.

*The Wargame* aims to dramatize the complex decision-making processes and human elements involved in responding to a hypothetical nuclear threat, providing viewers with a fictional glimpse into the possible ramifications of geopolitical crisis management.