Gemma Arterton Leads ITV’s New Espionage Thriller, Secret Service
From Bond to Slow Horses, spy dramas never get dull- which is why we can’t wait for Gemma Arterton’s new series Secret Service, which is coming to ITV later this year. It follows Arterton as an MI6 officer who’s on the trail of a nefarious infiltrator in the UK government. It also stars Rafe Spall (Black Mirror) and Alex Kingston (Doctor Who) in supporting roles: here’s everything we know so far.
What is Secret Service about?
Gemma Arterton has some experience in the espionage genre, having appeared in the Bond film Quantum of Solace, but Secret Service (which is based on the novel by Tom Bradby) is a bit more of a sober and serious drama. It’s topical too: Arterton’s character is Kate Henderson, the head of the Russia desk in the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). As a senior and respected officer in the service, it falls on her to investigate when things seem awry, and her latest and most important assignment becomes a serious matter of national security.
A covert investigation underway reveals evidence that a high-ranking politician in the UK is potentially working as a Russian asset. The implications are huge, and the stakes are high, but Kate can’t be 100% certain that her suspicions are correct. Trust is shattered, and Kate is up against it with her career on the line as she races to uncover the conspiracy as tensions between Britain and Russia rise. Making things worse for her is a brutal, publicised murder, which puts her previously covert team right into the public spotlight.
Who else stars, and when can I watch?
Arterton is joined in the cast by Alex Kingston, who’s best known for her role as River Song in Doctor Who, as well as Rafe Spall, who stars in Apple TV+’s Trying. Others include Mark Stanley (Dickensian), Roger Allam (The Sandman), Avi Nash (Silo) and Amanda Okafor (Bodies). The series, which is set to be told in five parts, has no definitive release date, but will arrive in the next few months on ITV and ITVX. Watch this space for future updates.
