CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews last night’s Secret Service? This spy-by-numbers thriller is about as inventive as its title

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Secret Service (ITV1)

Instead of worrying about who might be a Russian spy in the government, or if our own agent has been discovered, Tom Bradby’s new thriller, Secret Service, suggests you should be focusing on completely different issues.

It’s really curious why ITV decided to turn a spy novel written by one of their own news presenters into a TV series, considering how many similar spy novels are published each year. It’s a genuine head-scratcher.

The movie ‘Secret Service’ doesn’t offer anything new or surprising. The plot is as uninspired as the title itself. Everything – the speed of the story, the twists, the suspense, and even how big global issues are mixed with personal problems – feels completely predictable, like it’s following a well-worn formula.

It’s perfectly fine and gets the job done, but it doesn’t stand out like truly great spy thrillers such as ‘The Day of the Jackal’ or the recent ‘The Night Manager’. There’s nothing here that will really take your breath away.

Gemma Arterton stars as Kate Henderson, a spy for MI6 who secretly keeps a gun and multiple passports hidden in her closet. For eight months, she’s been meticulously planning a covert operation to bug the head of Russian intelligence while he’s on vacation with his family in Malta, all without her supervisor’s knowledge.

The show features plenty of beautiful scenery, including the Mediterranean coast, historic churches, and Malta’s charming, narrow streets. Kate’s team is working from an apartment with incredible views and a sunny terrace, which makes me wonder if they got a special deal on Airbnb thanks to security services.

A hidden microphone inside a cigar box – always kept near the Kremlin official – unexpectedly captures shocking news for MI6: the Prime Minister is planning to step down.

You’re probably thinking this isn’t a surprise. But remember, this is a story, and the Prime Minister isn’t resigning because he’s deceitful or indecisive. He hasn’t been caught in a simple lie, either.

Honestly, things are incredibly serious. Our Prime Minister is gravely ill, and he’s kept it quiet, only telling his Home Secretary, Amaka Okafor, and Foreign Secretary, Mark Stanley. But here’s the really worrying part – it looks like one of them went ahead and contacted President Putin’s office to let them know. It’s a total mess, and I’m really concerned about what this means.

It’s a curious coincidence that Kate’s husband (Rafe Spall) works as an advisor to the Home Secretary. It’s hard to believe he could be involved, but then again, he wouldn’t… no, it’s best not to jump to conclusions.

The show isn’t demanding to follow at all. The writing, done by the creator, carefully explains everything as it unfolds, even going so far as to remind us who the characters are and what they do. A particularly helpful touch was a close-up of the Downing Street sign, with a caption identifying the location as Westminster, London.

Because Bradby has a lot of influence at ITV, he not only appears on screen himself, but also manages to get appearances from other well-known personalities like Robert Peston, Susannah Reid, and Ed Balls. It makes you wonder why Ant and Dec weren’t included, though.

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2026-04-28 00:33