CV Archive

For more background information about the filming of Series 10, please read our companion Post.

After months of rumours and speculations on the internet (Twitter and various Spooks forums), Kudos, the production company behind Spooks, have finally made a formal announcement that Series 10 will be the last ever series for Spooks. You can read more about it in this Guardian article.

HERE is the official BBC Press Release about the end of Spooks.

HERE is Ian Wylie on the end of Spooks, with a short audio clip from Nicola on how she feels about this.

HERE is Cultbox’s report on this subject, complete with comments from Sam Vincent, writer of various episodes in Series 10. This piece also includes that BBC Drama trailer, in full, with no geographic restrictions.

HERE is another Guardian article commenting on the passing of Spooks.

Please take a moment now to observe a 30 second silence for the passing of a great TV show.

What’s going to happen to Harry and Ruth?

It is interesting to see this comment from Jane Featherstone, chief executive of Kudos and Spooks,

It was during the writing of the episodes [for Series 10] about Harry’s past and his relationship with colleague Ruth that [I] realized [I] wanted Spooks to end. … We’ve followed the arc of their personal story and I think they’ve brought us to a natural end, which you will all see played out later this year.

There is only one of three ways things can end for Harry and Ruth :

• they finally get together (but Spooks is not known for doing happy endings)
• they break up and go their separate ways, either voluntarily or because one of the characters get killed off (Spooks have done that too many times in the past, its getting old for its shock value)
  or
• they leave the two characters “as is”, that is, neither moving forwards nor backwards (that would be most unsatisfying for fans).

The cast have already done interviews with various media sources in connection with Series 10. In particular, the Telly Rocket (@TheTellyRocket, the Sunday Express TV Editor’s Twitter account) have logged this tweet

Just did lovely chat with #spooks Nicola Walker. She told of audacious climax to series. Sounds brilliant. Chat to run autumn.

Spooks and Nicola fans, you can draw your own conclusions with that comment!

Old face(s) returning in Series 10?

In that Guardian article, Jane Featherstone did not rule out an old face or two “returning during flashback scenes to explain Harry’s past”. Indeed, Rupert Penry-Jones (@rpenryj) has also tweeted something to the same effect, though he said that he himself will not be returning. This Sun article went further and posted photos of two former Spooks to go with their article.

Who do you think will return? Who would you like to see come back, however briefly, to explain Harry’s past?

Transmission Date for Series 10

Although there has been no formal announcement from the BBC, through various sources, we have been told that Spooks Series 10 is likely to be transmitted in the UK during the second half of September 2011. This is further bolstered by the fact that an anonymous source has logged a post on one of the Spooks forums to the effect that the Series 10 Region 2 box set will be released in November 2011, as a two disc package.

We already know that there will only be 6 episodes for Series 10. We also know from tweets logged by Helen James Productions (@HelenJamesProd) that they are once again putting together extras for the Series 10 box set. We don’t know how will they be able to fit all 6 episodes and the Extras on two discs?!

On the brighter side

Now that Nicola is done with filming Spooks, it will free her up to accept other, possibly more interesting, projects. We would love to see her take on a comedy series next, as we all know, from Chalk [TV] and the Big Town All Stars [Audio] what a great comedic actress she can be. If we get to meet with her after a performance of Di and Viv and Rose [Stage] during its run, we will certainly grill her for more information on this subject.

In the meantime, got a comment (which you can leave below) about the passing of Spooks and/or what will happen to Harry and Ruth?

Update : 11 August 2011

By now, over 55 news outlets are carrying the press release about the end of Spooks. However, many of their reports are inaccurate. The BBC did not axe or cancel the show. Kudos made that decision alone, even though the BBC asked it to reconsider. There is a difference.

Then there is this pic from the Sun report. This photo is not available in the online version of the Sun article and comes to you courtesy of @crazycazzz.

Here is another version of that pic

What do you think? Hope for all the Harry and Ruth fans out there, or disinformation intended to soften the blow when the episodes actually air and we do not get the ending that we want?

Update : 12 August 2011

Jane Featherstone of Kudos was interviewed on BBC Breakfast this morning. For those of us who missed this programme, and for the non-UK based fans who may not have access to this show, the great Ian Wylie has prepared a transcript, complete with audio clip, and you can access it HERE.

As for the return of some likely old faces, the Sun was a little coy and simply included pics of Matthew MacFadyen (Tom) and Keeley Hawes (Zoe) in their article with a brief indication that some old faces might return. The Daily Mail is more open and came right out with “Hawes and MacFadyen are believed to have been invited back to reprise their roles in the final six episodes of the MI5 drama”. Meanwhile, the Telegraph seems to be labouring under some misapprehension that Lucas North (Richard Armitage) is still alive out there, somewhere.

Digital Spy has summed up fans’ reaction perfectly about the end of Spooks!

Update : 23 August 2011

@ianwylie posted the following tweets today :

Spooks 10 ep 1 is an assured return as Sir Harry’s final secrets begin to unfold. Thrilling opener ahead of The End.

For those asking, Spooks returns to BBC1 next month but exact date still under wraps and never certain until schedules are finalised.

Spoke to Peter Firth in April about the Spooks 10 revelations. Good to see Harry given some cracking script lines in ep 1.

Update : 24 August 2011

Cultbox has posted 10 lines of dialogue from the first episode of Series 10 of Spooks. They do not contain spoilers, and you may have a fun time guessing which Spooks characters delivered the lines in question. Don’t click on the link if you do not wish to know about these lines.

Update : 1 September 2011

taken from the Prime Focus World website

The BBC Programme Information page for week 38 announces that Series 10 will premiere sometime during the week from 17 – 23 September 2011, with the exact date and time to be announced. HERE is more information about the first episode – the description is a little spoilery so don’t click on that link if you do not wish to know what happens in episode 1.

Cultbox has previously tweeted that all official publicity photos for Series 10 are embargoed until 13 September 2011. Go to the Cultbox website NOW to vote for Nicola as UK cult TV’s sexiest female!

Update : 5 September 2011

Culbox has an exclusive interview with Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley, the main scriptwriters for Series 10 of Spooks. Part 1 can be found HERE. The interview is relatively spoiler-free. Part 2 will be online on Friday, 9 September 2011.

We still don’t have an official airdate for episode 1 though the Cultbox website has a clip of the brief preview promo which ran on BBC TV as from Sunday.

Update : 7 September 2011

Finally, we have an official air date for episode 1 of Series 10, the last ever Spooks series. In their inimitable wisdom, the BBC is scheduling Spooks on Sunday nights, at 9 pm (starting from 18 September 2011), which puts it squarely against Series 2 of Downton Abbey airing on iTV at the same time. HERE is the Guardian article on this subject. The Press Association has something similar to say.

What do you think? Inspired scheduling, or the BBC not giving a damn that the last ever Spooks series might get killed in the ratings war between the two programmes?

Update : 9 September 2011

The second part of Cultbox’s exclusive interview with Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley can be found HERE.

HERE is the Radio Times’s thoughts on the scheduling of Spooks against Downton Abbey.

The Huffington Post UK is conducting a poll to see which show UK viewers will be watching come Sunday night, 18 September 2011. You can vote HERE.

Update : 10 September 2011

Thanks to ramblingscribe/HarryFan, here are :

the first teaser trailer for Spooks Series 10

and the first full trailer for Spooks S10

Getting proper excited about Series 10? I know that we are!

We shall now close this Post and start the proper Spooks Series 10 page, which you can access HERE.

If you wish to leave a comment but cannot see the comment box (maybe because you are viewing this Post as part of our archives), just click on the comment balloon to the far right of title of the Post and you will be taken back to the comment box.

Scroll down the page for more updates on this matter.

We have stopped updating this Post now that it is clear that Series 10 will be transmitted in the UK in the week commencing 19 September 2011 and that this will be the last ever series of Spooks to be produced. Please read our companion Post for further updates on Spooks Series 10.

There will be a series 10 for Spooks.

We first became aware that this was a distinct possibility when Ian Wylie mentioned this in one of his tweets or blog posts on Spooks. The BBC held a press event in October at which they showcased to members of the press their new shows for the autumn and winter season. Ben Stephenson, head of BBC Drama, indicated at that function that Series 10 of Spooks will be commissioned.

The strongest confirmation that there will be a Series 10 of Spooks came at the end of episode 908 (which aired on BBC One on 8.11.2010) when this appeared on screen at the very end :

We believe that Series 10 is now in pre-production, and principal photography will take place between March and July 2011, followed by post production work, and the actual series will air sometime between September and November 2011.

Update : 9 December 2010

Nicola is expected to start work on Spooks Series 10 on 14 March 2011, i.e. the day after she finishes at the National Theatre in Season’s Greetings.

A French fan asked Nicola recently whether she would like her character, Ruth Evershed, to be Section Chief in Series 10. Nicola said, “oh yes, of course Ruth should be section chief, she doesn’t want Harry’s love … she wants to be out in the field …” She was only half joking (we think)!

Update : 7 February 2011

From Twitter, we hear that after recent a cast and crew screening of South Riding, an upcoming TV mini series in which Peter Firth has a small but important role, Peter told Ian Wylie that no firm decision has been made as to whether or not Series 10 will be the last series for Spooks, but he also added that one can never be sure with a show like Spooks. A few minutes later, Ian tweeted that “Spooks series 10 starts filming in March. My instinct (with NO inside info) is that it will be the last. But could be wrong.”

Update : 10 March 2011

From Twitter, we learn from exchanges of tweets between Sam Vincent (@smavincent), one of the Spooks scriptwriters, and other fans :

First read through of a Series 10 script took place today and it went OK
Nicola was in great form, very nice and funny as ever.

(In plain English, for those not familiar with production lingo – cast and crew will sit down to do a read through of a script before filming commences, they will work out which bits will work and which bits will not, the script writer then produces one or more (usually more) redrafts before shooting takes place. Frequently on Spooks, scripts will continue to be amended during the filming process.)

Update : 13 March 2011

From Twitter, we learn from an actor (@RussellBalogh) that he started filming a small part on Spooks Series 10 on Sunday, 13 March 2011.

Update : 1 April 2011

Ian Wylie has blogged about some casting changes for Series 10 which you can read HERE. Don’t read if you don’t want to be spoiled for what lies ahead in Series 10.

There has been more sightings of location filming reported via Twitter at the following places :

• Canton Arms and Albert Square
• City Hall
• a street in Bermondsey
• a street somewhere made to look like 80s Germany, said the tweeter
• Drury Lane / Covent Garden
• New Wimbledon Theatre
• Albert Embankment
• outside an office block somewhere, Peter Firth was spotted

And this is all in addition to the indoor scenes being filmed at the Grid set at Bermondsey!

Update : 26 April 2011

From the Spooks Fan Blog comes a report of more location filming, this time over a few days at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel in Peckham. Apparently all the signs near the entrance to the hotel were changed to German signs, thus suggesting that the hotel was masquerading as a hotel in Germany. Spooks fans have been speculating that this might have something to do with a look into Harry’s past dealings in Germany.

From the Spooks Information Central Forum, we know that the crew has also been filming recently around Peckham/East Dulwich for 5 days.

Update : 2 May 2011

Some casting spoilers from @ruther2 via Twitter :
You will see the names of some actors who have been cast in various roles in Spooks Series 10 on THIS PAGE. Most of these are for minor roles except for one person who is described as playing the younger version of THIS CHARACTER. (Click on the “Television” tab.) Don’t click on these links if you do not want to be spoiled.

In addition, the IMDb Spooks page has been updated to show the names of directors for each of the 6 episodes that will make up Series 10.  The Director for episodes 5 and 6 for Series 10 is interesting. He directed the very first two episodes of Series 1 and Series 2 and has been credited with creating the distinctive look and feel of Spooks.

Update : 5 May 2011

Over the past few months, there have been frequent sightings of Spooks filming in and around London which are reported on Twitter. Often, these tweets would be accompanied by photos of the crewing setting up a shot etc. We have not posted any of these photos, until now. Today, courtesy of @abby1412 on Twitter comes the first sighting of a Harry and Ruth bench scene being filmed. The location is somewhere along the Mall in London. Abby was told by the crew that this scene is for episode 3 of Series 10, which they think will screen sometime in either September or October 2011. See these pics for yourself. THANKS @abby1412 for letting us put these photos on this fansite.

Spooks crew setting up a shot at the Mall

Looks like Harry and Ruth on a bench along the Mall.

Update : 19 May 2011

Per @Quaiacom via Twitter, another Harry and Ruth sighting. This picture was taken by @Quaiacom this morning. They were filming by the side of the Thames. @Quaiacom said that it looked like Harry, Ruth and some other guy having an intense conversation, and then the other guy walked off, but Ruth and Harry stayed. According to Lady J on the Spooks Forum, the location is directly outside the National Theatre (on the South Bank) on the beach at low tide.

©Craig Holton (@Quaiacom)

Nicola appears to have shorter hair and for once, not in a black coat which goes below the knee. She looks good!

Here are two more pics obtained via @Terribly_Mauled on Twitter

©David Mather (@Terribly_Mauled)

©David Mather (@Terribly_Mauled)

Here’s a pic of the same scene but taken from another angle. Thanks to Shiv11 for letting us use this pic.

Update : 19 May 2011(2)

Helen James Productions (@HelenJamesProd) announced via Twitter that they will be doing the Extras for the Series 10 DVD box set. Helen James Productions were also responsible for the two extra features which were included in the Series 9 DVD box set.

Update 8 June 2011

A Spooks fan flew all the way from Boston to London, specifically to see if she could find the Spooks team on location shooting. She was not disappointed. Here is an album of her photos and two short videos.

We subsequently found out that Nicola was not actually required for any scenes on that Sunday (5 June 2011) though she turned up to do interviews with Helen James Productions for the Series 10 DVD Extras! So that scene of Nicola walking away with Peter Firth is not actually a scene from Series 10.

Update 11 June 2011

Here’s more video from @kaysler
 

 

 

 

Update 12 June 2011

You can read a detailed report of @kraysler’s close encounters with the Spooks crew HERE.

Update 15 June 2011

Another great video taken by @kraysler during her recent trip to London, this time featuring the wonderful Nicola and one of the Spooks crew
 

 

Update 18 June 2011

Another video from @kraysler, this time with Nicola viewing some rushes with Chris Fry, the producer.
 

 

Update 11 August 2011

Please also read our companion Post on this subject.