“Compelling” Manchester-set spy thriller confirms release date on ITV – and it’s so soon

I’m so excited! ITV just announced when their new thriller, Betrayal, is coming out, and as a big fan of Shaun Evans (you might know him from Endeavour), I don’t have long to wait at all. The first episode is on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday, February 8th, and they’re showing the second one right after, at the same time, the very next night!

This four-episode show centers around John Hughes, an MI5 officer whose personal life is falling apart. He receives information about an informant who might be the key to dismantling a criminal group operating in Stockport.

The scheduled meeting quickly turned dangerous when the informant was murdered by a hitman. John managed to kill the assassin before he could be silenced himself.

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John is put under investigation at work, and he begins to suspect that whoever is trying to discredit him is someone within the company.

Is he just paranoid, or is he really onto something? Well, the show is called Betrayal

Evans explained he aimed to differentiate the show from typical spy stories, emphasizing it’s a story about a man experiencing a midlife crisis. John is struggling with his life and searching for a new direction.

He’s experiencing a breakdown in his personal relationship, and his unconventional approach is no longer valued at work. He’s also facing declining health and a shift in how the world perceives his worth.

When you place that within the context of international spying, it creates a compelling story with two layers.

The show features a talented cast including Romola Garai, known for her role in Suffragette; Amuka-Bird from I, Jack Wright; Zahra Ahmadi, previously on EastEnders; Gamba Cole of The Outlaws; Omid Djalili, who appeared in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again; Matthew Tennyson from Grantchester; Hayley Tamaddon of Unforgotten; Anthony Flanagan, known from House of the Dragon; Paddy Rowan from G’wed; and Waj Ali of Out There, alongside Evans.

Julian Jarrold, who directed A Very Royal Scandal, oversaw the production, and David Eldridge, the writer of The Scandalous Lady W, wrote the script.

Betrayal premieres on ITV1 on Sunday, 8 February at 9pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.

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2026-01-30 00:19