Gemma Arterton and Rafe Spall to star in ITV series Secret Service

Gemma Arterton and Rafe Spall are set to star in ITV's new spy drama Secret Service. Secret Service follows senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson (Arterton, pictured). On the surface her life seems ordinary - a civil servant married to Stuart (Spall) with two teenage children - but to those who don't know her well, Kate's real role is running the Russia Desk at the Secret Intelligence Service.



When her undercover operations uncover alarming evidence that a high-ranking British politician could be a Russian asset, Kate finds herself in a desperate race to uncover his identity. "As a brutal murder thrusts her team into the spotlight, Kate must navigate the dangerous world of espionage as she tries to keep her family together and protect her reputation," a plot synopsis reads.

The five-part drama series is based on a novel by ITV News presenter Tom Bradby and is produced by Potboiler Productions.

Also joining Arterton and Spall in the series are Mark Stanley, Alex Kingston, Roger Allam, Amaka Okafor and Khalid Abdalla.

“I am delighted to be stepping into the world of such a topical and gripping espionage thriller with this talented creative team,” said Arteton. “Collaborating with Tom Bradby, Jemma Kennedy, James Marsh, and the remarkable production team at Potboiler is incredibly exciting. I can’t wait to bring this story to life alongside the outstanding cast.”

The five-part series marks a creative reunion between Bradby and Oscar-winner James Marsh, director of the Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire. “We’ve assembled a brilliant ensemble of actors to bring to life these gripping, compelling scripts which have uncanny echoes in real-world politics,” said Marsh. “It’s an exciting and irresistible prospect for a film maker.”

Screenwriter Jemma Kennedy (The Buccaneers) is also joining the project, which will film on location in Malta and London this spring.

The cast also includes Avi Nash, Aoife Hinds, Rochenda Sandall, Alma Prelec, Galaxie Clear, Harley Barton, Michael Tcherepashenets, Petar Zekavica, Miglen Mirtchev, Juris Žagars and Lana Vlady.