Latest news with #Spooks
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Ditch your weekend plans to binge 'unpredictable' Keeley Hawes Amazon thriller
If you have weekend plans, cancel them – Amazon Prime Video has just dropped all six episodes of a new thriller series starring Keeley Hawes. The Assassin, written by The Missing creators Harry and Jack Williams, stars Spooks actress Keeley, 49, alongside Charlie and the Chocolate factory star Freddie Highmore. An original series, The Assassin follows Keeley as Julie, a retired former assassin living in Greece – her life is turned upside down when her estranged son turns up looking for answers. From that point on, it's revealed that Julie's past is mysterious and full of secrets, and that her old relationship was similarly filled with darkness that her son Edward wants to know more about. However, what time they have for any confessional family reunions is ultimately cut short when their lives are plunged into danger after Julie's past comes back to haunt her. All six episodes were made available to stream on July 25, which gives fans the chance to binge the entire series before going back to work on Monday. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Metro's TV Editor Sabrina Barr shares her thoughts after watching three out of six episodes before the series launch. The new Amazon Prime series created by The Tourist's Harry and Jack Williams isn't just packed with gripping twists and stunt choreography that'll have you on the edge of your seat. It's also funny. And not just enough to spark a light chuckle. It's funny in a quintessentially British fashion, with humour that's dry and relatable. I was sucked in straight away. It's mind-boggling to me that Freddie, 33, and Keeley, 49, haven't worked together before when their on-screen chemistry is this dynamic. Metro had the opportunity to attend an early screening of the first episode of The Assassin, followed by a Q&A session with the writers and actors. The Assassin begins all guns blazing – literally – with a flashback to Julie's past, when she's still in full swing as a highly-trained assassin in her younger years (played by Georgina Bitmead). Fast-forward three decades, and her days as an unstoppable killing machine are behind her. Or so it would seem. It's Mamma Mia combined with Taken, with a dash of Black Doves thrown in for good measure. Having only seen the first three episodes out of six so far, I feel as though the series still has room to grow to give me the level of TV-watching satisfaction that I crave as an avid fan of the genre. I can't predict how the show will end – but I'm firmly strapped in. Read Sabrina's full thoughts here. Speaking to The Observer about being a 'perimenopausal James Bond', Keeley revealed that she actually laughed out loud when she first read The Assassin's script. 'When I saw that line in the script, I howled with laughter. You even glimpse her popping HRT pills. I don't think I've ever seen that in a drama before – [my character] can't go on the run without her HRT. '[The Assassin] is an action caper that's very funny. It's the TV equivalent of a summer blockbuster. And we spent five months filming it in Athens. What's not to love?' Keeley also revealed that she did her own stunts for the series, explaining: 'I threw a guy over a car and did virtually a whole fight sequence in a kitchen. That's really me using a cheese fork and a blowtorch as weapons.' She continued: 'I'm basically the new Tom Cruise! No, I don't think Tom needs to worry, but I can see why he enjoys doing stunts so much. I had weapons training. There's a scene where I assemble a sniper rifle in a slick way. It's worryingly easy, actually.' One fan posting on X was excited about the series, with @KeeleyHawesNews saying: 'Honestly? It'll be a miracle if we make it out alive after watching Keeley Hawes in The Assassin'. More Trending Under the trailer on YouTube, @MachiavellisThePrince joked: 'This series seeks to answer the question, 'Why aren't there more middle-aged women action stars?'' As well as Keeley and Jack, who serve as executive producers, the series also stars Riverdale's Gina Gershon, Baby Reindeer star Shalome Brune-Franklin, and Pirates of the Caribbean actor Jack Davenport. The series also features Irish actor Ricard Dormer – who played Beric Dondarrion in Game of Thrones – and No Time to Die actor David Dencik. View More » Watch The Assassin on Amazon Prime Video. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Best crime thriller of 2025' tops Netflix charts with nearly 25,000,000 views MORE: Amazon Prime adds 'addictive' TV drama that viewers can't stop watching MORE: 9 deliciously bleak films and where to stream them after 'soul-crushing' new horror
Sydney Morning Herald
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
The anti-Bond: Why Keeley Hawes' new assassin is the spy we need now
More than two decades ago, actor Keeley Hawes and I met on the set of David Wolstencroft's television spy thriller Spooks. That series, about a group of intelligence officers working in Section D of the British spy agency MI5, was hailed for the way it upended the established espionage genre. Since the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953, that franchise had defined the way stories about spies and assassins were told. But if Spooks gave the genre its light and shade, the new thriller series, The Assassin, flips the script again, in favour of something more resembling a rollercoaster. ' The Assassin feels a bit like the opposite of Bond in every way,' Hawes explains, when we reconnect to talk about the new series. 'Julie is a kind of anti-hero. Obviously when we meet her as a young woman she's obviously been very, very good at her job. But even then, she's this person who's a bit sort of worn down with it. 'She is real in a way that James Bond is not,' Hawes adds. 'And I think even though they're so different, both of those shows would appeal to the same sort of person who loves a high-octane show.' Created by Harry and Jack Williams – the sibling writing partnership behind The Missing and its spinoff Baptiste, Liar and The Tourist – The Assassin is a crime thriller about a retired assassin (Hawes' Julie) who is living a quiet life on a remote Greek island and trying to reconnect with her son, Edward (Freddie Highmore). The hiccup? Mum's past has caught up with her. When Hawes sat down to begin work on the series, the scripts and the story framework were still in an evolutionary state, she says. 'So you have an idea of where the show is going to go,' she says. 'But then that can change. It is also organic. And particularly with Jack and Harry, there are some curveballs that are thrown. 'Once you've established who the character is, [and] how you'll play that person, it's quite exciting to then not know which direction they're going to go,' Hawes says. 'In this case, it just gets more and more exciting. And I just loved the work. 'I know everybody always says this, but this really was a joyful job,' Hawes adds. 'Freddie and I had this amazing chemistry from the beginning. I immediately knew that it was going to be OK. We met and had a coffee, and we did the read-through [of the scripts] and I felt like I had known this person for much longer than I have.'
The Age
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
The anti-Bond: Why Keeley Hawes' new assassin is the spy we need now
More than two decades ago, actor Keeley Hawes and I met on the set of David Wolstencroft's television spy thriller Spooks. That series, about a group of intelligence officers working in Section D of the British spy agency MI5, was hailed for the way it upended the established espionage genre. Since the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953, that franchise had defined the way stories about spies and assassins were told. But if Spooks gave the genre its light and shade, the new thriller series, The Assassin, flips the script again, in favour of something more resembling a rollercoaster. ' The Assassin feels a bit like the opposite of Bond in every way,' Hawes explains, when we reconnect to talk about the new series. 'Julie is a kind of anti-hero. Obviously when we meet her as a young woman she's obviously been very, very good at her job. But even then, she's this person who's a bit sort of worn down with it. 'She is real in a way that James Bond is not,' Hawes adds. 'And I think even though they're so different, both of those shows would appeal to the same sort of person who loves a high-octane show.' Created by Harry and Jack Williams – the sibling writing partnership behind The Missing and its spinoff Baptiste, Liar and The Tourist – The Assassin is a crime thriller about a retired assassin (Hawes' Julie) who is living a quiet life on a remote Greek island and trying to reconnect with her son, Edward (Freddie Highmore). The hiccup? Mum's past has caught up with her. When Hawes sat down to begin work on the series, the scripts and the story framework were still in an evolutionary state, she says. 'So you have an idea of where the show is going to go,' she says. 'But then that can change. It is also organic. And particularly with Jack and Harry, there are some curveballs that are thrown. 'Once you've established who the character is, [and] how you'll play that person, it's quite exciting to then not know which direction they're going to go,' Hawes says. 'In this case, it just gets more and more exciting. And I just loved the work. 'I know everybody always says this, but this really was a joyful job,' Hawes adds. 'Freddie and I had this amazing chemistry from the beginning. I immediately knew that it was going to be OK. We met and had a coffee, and we did the read-through [of the scripts] and I felt like I had known this person for much longer than I have.'
Elle
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
'The Veil': Elisabeth Moss's New 'Slow Horses' Style Thriller Series Is A Must For 'The Handmaid's Tale' Fans
The Apple TV+ series Slow Horses single-handedly revived our love of a British spy thriller (though we still think early series Spooks walked so it could run). For fans desperate for a new fix while we await season five, fear not, The Veil is here. And for those who are also missing Elisabeth Moss after the finale of The Handmaid's Tale, it's doubly good news as she leads the show, playing a British MI6 spy called Imogen Salter. If the idea of all that is already whetting your appetite, you'll be glad to know you've got viewing options - The Veil starts on Channel 4 from Sunday July 20 and will be available on its streaming platform. But if you have a Disney Plus membership, the whole series is available there too. Moss plays MI6 agent Imogen Salter who is known for being an incredible undercover agent (and has a British accent throughout). She is asked to get a women called Adilah El Idrissi (played by Yumna Marwan) out of a Turkish-Syrian refugee camp and get the details and secrets they believe she holds to prevent an attack. The Veil is set amidst a Bond-esque array of international locations, and you never know who you can trust - at one point, Adilah is accused of being a terrorist. How much can the women trust each other and their individual motivations? When the CIA and French service demand she bring Adilah in, Imogen goes rogue - and a classic thriller chase ensues. With the new season of Slow Horses due to start on Apple TV+ on September 24, this should keep you going until then. One fan of the show reviewed The Veil online, saying: 'The Veil is an absolute triumph in both acting and storytelling. From the very first episode, the cast delivers stunning performances that make you feel every ounce of emotion the characters experience.' The Veil airs on Channel 4 from Sunday July 20. The whole series is available to stream on Disney Plus. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC fans praise 'fantastic' iPlayer show for controversial 'ahead of its time' scene
Fans of a TV show produced by the BBC have praised it for being 'ahead of its time' and have recalled the controversial moment in its first series which went on to define the programme A TV show available to stream on BBC iPlayer has been praised for being "ahead of its time" thanks to its controversial first series. The second ever episode of the show - which ran for 10 seasons - attracted hundreds of complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Commission when it first aired. At the time of its release, it received the highest amount of complaints for a television programme that year. Though it was controversial at the time, the television watchdog suggested the polarising scene was necessary to the narrative. Spooks, featuring Matthew Macfadyen, ran from 2002 to 2011 but landed itself in hot water almost immediately. A post to the r/BritishTV Reddit page had users praising the show, decades after it was first aired. One user wrote: "I'm super late to the party but this was a great show during its run. Definitely ahead of its time. I recommend!" The show is still available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Fans believe Spooks was "ahead of its time" may be because of the very scene which landed the show its 250 complaints. The second episode of their first series depicted the harrowing death of character Helen Flynn, played by Lisa Faulkner. Faulkner, who had taken part in press interviews in the lead-up to broadcast and was advertised as a main cast member, was bumped off early into the show's run. Viewers at the time were stunned, with critics at the time saying the show's early controversy cemented its place as one of the must-watch shows from the BBC. TV critic and Black Mirror writer Charlie Brooker wrote at the time: "...Here was a major BBC drama series that actually had the nerve to confound expectation." Fans have since agreed with the need for a bold opening for the show, with many saying they still have flashbacks to the brutal scene. One fan wrote: "That was such a clever move, she was well known and you would not have guessed they'd kill her in episode two, really good way of telling the audience that main characters were not safe." Another added: "I still have flashbacks to the face in the deep-fat fryer scene." Other users are noting the strong cast is a reason to return to Spooks, with many careers launched by the show. A fan wrote: "People don't realize this launched the careers of so many big names; Mathew Macfayden and Keeley Hawes (who are married), David Oyelowo, Rupert Penry Jones, Richard Armitage, Nicola Walker, Miranda Raison, Max Brown, Raza Jaffrey, Hermoine Norris. "The cast was absolutely stacked as is also had established stars like Peter Firth, Robert Glennister, Tim Mcinnerny, Anna Chancellor, Jenny Aguter, etc." Another agreed, adding: "Benedict Cumberbatch was in this, AND Alexander Siddig (Bashir from DS9). Was a fantastic show for breaking out lots of actors and actresses and putting in some fantastic storylines."
