Episode schedule for A Spy Among Friends
A Spy Among Friends: ITVX releases trailer for original series
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A Spy Among Friends is based on a true story brought to life through author Ben Macintyre’s best-selling novel. The series delves into the life-long friendship of two spies and how one of them turned out to be one of Britain’s most notorious defectors, secretly working for the Soviet Union. Here’s all there is to know to watch A Spy Among Friends.
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from A Spy Among Friends.
How many episodes are in A Spy Among Friends?
A Spy Among Friends will be making its debut on Thursday, December 8, on ITVX.
The series is going to be released on the free streaming service which has replaced the channel’s original ITV Hub.
The double agent drama is going to be made up of six episodes in total.
All six instalments of A Spy Among Friends are going to become available on ITVX on the initial release date.
It has been confirmed that there are plans for the series to also come out on ITV itself.
So far though, an official release date hasn’t been announced, with the channel only stating that A Spy Among Friends will air at a later date.
While based on a book, the series comes from real-life events, following the lives and friendships of British intelligence officers Nicholas Elliott (played by Damian Lewis) and Kim Philby (Guy Pearce).
However, it is soon realised in the series that their friendship and work together were all built on lies.
Philby was exposed as a double agent working for the Soviet Union and was a member of the infamous Cambridge Five spy ring.
They divulged important British secrets to the Russians during both the Second World War and the Cold War.
He was a journalist before joining the intelligence services and MI6, serving as the British liaison with American intelligence agencies.
When his real identity was discovered in 1963, Philby defected to Moscow where he remained until his death in 1988.
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Writer Alex Carey opened up about how he was keen to keep the TV series as close to the facts and authentic as possible.
He explained: “There are a lot of blurry truths…which is the nature of ‘true’ espionage stories – you never quite know what the truth is.
“I took that as a license to tell a greater truth or at least propose a thesis. And that gave me permission to have dramatic license.
“So, I took the story of Elliott in 1963, and how he deals with the immediate aftermath of Philby’s defection in London, considering he was probably under investigation.
“And I also deal with the emotional fallout for Philby once he gets to Russia.
“We track Philby once he gets to Moscow, and as you’ll see, rather than the hero’s welcome he may have been expecting, he’s interrogated by a rather sceptical KGB officer, who then takes him to Moscow in episode two.
“And then, throughout the rest of the story, we follow Philby in Moscow trying to prove to the Russians that he’s still got his game. Which is a sort of sad and slightly pointless fight because he never really spied again. He just died of drink.”
Homeland and Billions actor Damian Lewis stars as Nicholas Elliott in the ITVX series.
He works alongside The Hurt Locker star Guy Pearce who is behind double agent Kim Philby.
Also joining them in the cast are Anna Maxwell Martin, Adrian Edmondson and Lucy Akhurst.
A Spy Among Friends will premiere on Thursday, December 8, on ITVX.
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