The first casting details have been announced for Hacks, Channel 4's upcoming newspaper satire.

The one-off hour long comedy will be broadcast in the channel's Christmas schedule, and has been penned by Outnumbered and Drop The Dead Donkey writer and creator Guy Jenkin (pictured).

Inspired by the notorious hacking scandals that engulfed the British 'dead tree press' earlier in 2011, Hacks (a working title) is set in the news room of a fictional newspaper where the pressure to get a story and beat the competitors is intense.

The programme is to star Claire Foy as paper editor Kate Loy, a woman whose "moral compass went awry a long time ago", with owner Stanhope Feast played by Michael Kitchen. The duo are best known for their lead roles in Little Dorrit and Foyles War respectively.

Other names announced for the cast include Alexander Armstrong, who will also star in sitcom pilot Felix & Murdo with comedy partner Ben Miller on Channel 4 over the festive period, Facejacker star Kayvan Novak, and Phil Davies.

Comedy veterans Celia Imrie, Russ Abbot and Nigel Planer also have roles in the Hat Trick produced comedy.