Shaun Evans is set to star in a brand new espionage thriller for ITV – and you won’t want to miss this one.
The actor, who’s best known for starring in the detective drama Endeavour, will play MI5 agent John Hughes as he tries to avert a “serious and dark threat to national security while making sense of his own place in the world”.
Penned by David Eldridge, Betrayal is described as an “emotionally intelligent, thrilling and darkly funny thriller” and is set in both London and Manchester.
So, what’s the show about?
The drama follows John, who joined M15 during the war on terror and was “at the forefront of averting the biggest terrorist plots on UK soil”.
“Now in his mid-40s and married with two children, he’s struggling to adapt to the new MI5, where threats to national security have changed and he’s forced to adapt to the values of a progressive work environment,” reads the synopsis.
“On a hunch John meets Ehsan, a British Iranian man with links to the Manchester gangland who claims he has intelligence about a plot on UK soil. Before he can share intel, Ehsan is executed by a lone gunman, and John impulsively kills the assassin in retaliation. This triggers a chain of events which puts John in direct collision with his superiors who are furious that he appears to have got involved in a Manchester gang turf war. John thinks there’s more to it than that and starts digging into Ehsan’s past. He knows he’ll have to redeem himself if he’s to save his career and reputation, all the while struggling with his own mental health after having killed a man.”
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As the show goes on, John’s efforts to save both his career and marriage are tested by intelligence operative Mehreen, who’s brought in to take over from John on the Iran desk. “Their connection is electric, and John must wrestle with temptations his younger self would readily have surrendered to,” continues the synopsis. “Struggling with his own demons, his love for his family and his complicated loyalty to the institution he’s been part of for over 20 years, John sets out to find the truth of the explosive security threat to the UK before it’s too late.”
Shaun said of his new role: “I’m delighted to be returning to ITV with this exceptionally well-written and timely project. It’s a great privilege to reunite with David Eldridge and bring to life his insightful take on the world of espionage. And it is of course a joy to be collaborating once again with the first-rate team at Mammoth Screen. I look forward to sharing it with ITV audiences soon.”
While ITV has yet to reveal a release date, filming for the series commences in early 2025.