Hostage: What really happened between Vivienne Toussaint and Matheo? Details from the Netflix political thriller, explored

Netflix’s new political thriller Hostage, which premiered on August 21, 2025, has quickly captivated audiences. The five-part series follows two political leaders caught in a high-stakes crisis, where protecting their families becomes as urgent as securing their own survival.

Abigail (Suranne Jones), the U.K. Prime Minister, faces a harrowing ultimatum when kidnappers abduct her husband, Alex, and demand her resignation in exchange for his life. Meanwhile, across the Channel, French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy) becomes the target of blackmail after an explicit video surfaces, forcing her to stay silent and abandon Abigail in her time of need.

It is later revealed that the said video is of Vivienne and her stepson, Matheo (Corey Mylchreest), with whom she had a brief affair before becoming the President.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.

Hostage: Vivienne and Mattheo had an affair

In Hostage, it is revealed that Matheo and Vivienne were in a relationship. Matheo helped Vivienne during her campaigning. That’s when their relationship began. While it is not revealed, it is speculated that the relationship might have eventually faded away due to Vivienne’s position and reputation, which would be hurt if someone discovered it.

However, the relationship goes on to become a huge problem for Vivienne when the kidnappers blackmail her into not helping Abigail. They had acquired a video where Vivienne and Matheo are seen together in bed. If she helps Abigail in rescuing Alex, the video would be made public, destroying her political career.

However, we see that after certain apprehensions, Vivienne still ends up helping Abigail rescue Alex and the other doctors. This decision puts her in more danger as the kidnappers leak the video to the public, resulting in their secret affair becoming public knowledge.

Hostage: Matheo learns about Saskia’s involvement in leaking the explicit video

In the political thriller, Hostage, the kidnappers of Alex are revealed to be from the 3rd Battalion of the Highlands Guards, which was shut down by Abigail due to budget cuts. Out of anger at being out of their jobs, the team under John Michael Shagan, a captain of the Highlands Guards, plotted to take revenge on Abigail and kidnapped her husband to force her to resign.

Saskia Morgan, one of the corporals, worked for Shagan and had been spying on Matheo for him. She then approached him, and the duo got into a relationship. She is the one who finds the video on Matheo’s phone and gives it to Shagan so that he can use it against Vivienne.

After Vivienne decides to help Abigail, the video is made public. Matheo later finds Saskia’s laptop in his home, which has evidence about her involvement in all of this, and it is also revealed that she is the one who killed Abigail’s father, Max Dalton.

He then takes the laptop to 10 Downing Street and reveals Saskia’s involvement in leaking the video and being a part of the coup against Abigail. The laptop itself becomes the reason for Vivienne’s death as Shagan detonates the bomb hidden in it to kill Abigail. However, Vivienne becomes the victim of the blast while she attempts to save Matheo.

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Hostage is available to stream on Netflix.

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