Review: The Bodyguard

The UK is currently gripped by BBC’s fast paced ‘The Bodyguard’, a six part drama about a female Home Secretary and her Personal Protection Officer (PPO), or bodyguard. Yet the former Home Secretary for eight years, Mrs May, current Prime Minister, switched it off, after 20 mins. She perceived, no doubt, what I set out below, that it is sensational and undermines the role of (female)  Home Secretaries.

Nevertheless Amber Rudd, MP, is gripped. She stepped down from being Home Secretary after two years and says it is very close to the truth. Home Secretaries have a very close relationship with their bodyguards but not, of course, a ‘romantic’ (and abusive) one, she says.

Without completely ruining it for those who have not been following it, I suggest that the depiction of how a well-educated woman would react in such a role is utter drivel. Elegant and childless, 41 year old Home Secretary ‘Julia Montague’ read law at London University, practised as a barrister, was married and divorced by 2012 and eagerly propelled herself, partly by voting for overseas wars into one of the Government's top jobs. But does she have any judgement, or any morals? Here are a few of her unforgiveable mistakes:

• Not knowing who her real enemies are and trusting no one, except perhaps unwisely her bodyguard. Those trying to kill her could be well-organised terrorists, the Prime Minister's friends, MI5, The Metropolitan Police (The Met), her former husband or her own bodyguard. At least she knows she is unpopular in the country, through trying to bring in a strong 'Snooper’s Charter' online to tackle terrorism, yet she still seems astonished at public demonstations against her (how 'out of touch') ;
• Actively exploiting and seducing her married but separated bodyguard whose marriage has apparently broken down through post traumatic shock syndrome caused by the physical and mental scars from being a soldier, either in Iraq or Afghanistan; 
• Taking information from MI5 on a secret device against the advice of The Met and being rude to The Met openly in meetings. It is probably unwise to be rude to the police, even if you are Home Secretary; 
• Using MI5’s secret incriminating file to threaten the Prime Minister, in his own home, Chequers, apparently in order to take over his job; 
• Speaking in public in London directly after a nearly successful attempted assassination attempt, which The Met did not save her from; 
• Keeping on a bodyguard who has tried to strangle her, apparently when half asleep, thinking she is a terrorist. 

I contest that no woman who reaches such a position would be so wicked and foolish. Seducing one's bodyguard, who has to pay his bills and divorce settlement, is serious sexual abuse, but continuing to employ him (through not having any other trusted friends) after he has tried to strangle you is madness. Secretly blackmailing the Prime Minister using his own MI5 secret file is crazy. No sensible Home Secretary would walk around in public without armour plating and men with guns at the ready after being nearly shot to pieces in an official car by a sniper who is unidentified.

This fiercely ambitious, attractive yet second rate woman (of male imagining) is 'five fathoms' out of her depth. She should have stepped down long ago. So why are we so convinced by this drama and even growing sympathetic to her needy isolation?

Is it because we think we are already led by people, including women, with more naked ambition than honour/sense and we like to think they are still human?  Or it is very cleverly written?

The next episode is on Sunday evening.