In 2016, the acclaimed BBC spy thriller The Night Manager, based on the novel by John le Carré, became a cultural phenomenon. This was not just for its taut plot, but for a single, shocking moment of nudity involving its star, Tom Hiddleston.
Hiddleston, who played the charismatic deep-cover agent Jonathan Pine, caused an immediate frenzy among British television audiences. This occurred when, in a passionate scene with co-star Elizabeth Debicki (playing Jed Marshall), he briefly exposed his posterior. The reaction was immediate, intense, and instantly viral.
The Rumpus Over the Rump: #Hiddlesbum
The scene, which aired in the UK in March 2016, ignited a social media storm. Fans coined the affectionate hashtag #Hiddlesbum, which trended on Twitter. Viewers expressed their surprise and delight over the rare sight of the usually more reserved actor’s full nudity.
The extreme reaction even perplexed the show’s creative team. Writer David Farr called the “hoo-hah” surrounding the scene “utterly, utterly absurd.” He joked that there was nothing revolutionary about trousers being undone to have sex. However, the unexpected nature of the moment on primetime British television, featuring an actor of Hiddleston’s calibre, ensured its notoriety.
An Unexpected, Prestigious Award
The lasting impact of the scene transcended social media chatter and was immortalized with an actual, albeit lighthearted, award. Thanks entirely to the scene in The Night Manager, Tom Hiddleston was crowned the winner of the 2016 Male Rear of the Year award.
Hiddleston beat out stiff competition from other high-profile British stars, including Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan and Hollywood favourite Idris Elba, to claim the prestigious, fan-voted title.
Censorship Across the Pond
Despite the fanfare in the UK, the scene proved too much for American broadcasters. When the series aired in the US on AMC, the revealing moment was censored for the initial broadcast. This left American viewers furious. The disappointment was palpable online, with the hashtag #NoHIDDLESBUMforUS becoming a temporary rallying cry for viewers who felt cheated out of the highly-anticipated shot.
Hiddleston later commented on the censorship, stating he was surprised that they cut his butt out. “I’m here to tell you that my butt is not dangerous,” he quipped, adding a touch of self-deprecating humour to the controversy that unexpectedly launched his derriere into global stardom.