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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome

The Ipcress File on ITV: What it's about, cast, and where you've seen them before

If you were worried about the hole Trigger Point was going to leave in your Sunday night viewing, fear not.

ITV hasn't left any gaps and is bringing another new series straight to our screens.

The Ipcress File begins tonight (Sunday, March 6) and is being dubbed a h igh octane, spy thriller which is set in Berlin and London during the 1960s.

READ MORE: ITV Emmerdale stars Manpreet and Jai share forgotten Coronation Street connection

The six-part series has been written by Bafta winner John Hodge, directed by Emmy winner James Watkins and stars Joe Cole, as iconic spy Harry Palmer.

ITV explains: "Harry Palmer is a British army sergeant on the make in Berlin. In this newly partitioned city, a sharp working-class young man with sophisticated tastes can make a lot of money. Wholesaler, retailer, fixer, smuggler, Harry’s varied interests bring him into contact with everything and everyone – until the law catches up with him and it all comes crashing to a halt.

"Harry finds himself sentenced to eight years in a grim military jail in England, all his prospects abruptly torn away. But his impressive network and efficiency have not gone unnoticed, and a gentleman from British intelligence has a proposal.

"To avoid prison, HarryPalmer will become a spy. And the case on which he cuts his teeth will be The Ipcress File."

Joe Cole as Harry Palmer (ITV)

The synopsis continued: "Harry's links to the man suspected of kidnapping a missing British nuclear scientist result in him being conscripted for a dangerous undercover mission that takes him from The Beatles’London to the Berlin Wall, from the back alleys of Beirut to the white-hot sands of a nuclear atoll in the Pacific."

ITV's The Ipcress File is based on Len Deighton’s first spy novel of the same name which introduced the iconic British spy Harry Palmer and is set against the backdrop of Cold War Europe.

There was also a film with the lead character being made famous by Michael Caine in the 1965 spy thriller but as already mentioned, Joe Cole is taking on the role of Harry Palmer for the book's latest retelling.

Joe will be recognised for a whole host of TV roles (ITV)

Viewers will best recognise the actor for TV roles including playing Luke in Skins, Sean Wallace in Gangs of London but most notable as being John Shelby in Peaky Blinders. Joe's film roles also include Tommy in Offender, Reece in Green Room, and Billy Moore in A Prayer Before Dawn.

Fans may also know Joe's younger brothers, Finn Cole, who is also an actor and co-starred alongside him in BBC One hit Peaky Blinders as Michael Gray.

Lucy Boynton also stars in the new ITV series as Jean Courtney who joins Harry on a dangerous mission to find a missing British scientist.

The British-American actress recently starred as Freddie Mercury's girlfriend Mary Austin in the hit movie Bohemian Rhapsody but made her professional debut as the young Beatrix Potter in the 2006 drama film Miss Potter.

Lucy Boynton as Jean in the new ITV series (ITV)

Lucy has also starred in a television adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, Law & Order UK, and American comedy-drama The Politician.

Away from screens, the 28-year-old has been dating fellow Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek since 2017.

Taking on the role of Major Dalby, who works for British intelligence, is Tom Hollander who is probably best known for his roles in Us and The Night Manager.

He is known for his role in About Time, where he played Harry, and in films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, In the Loop and appeared opposite The Ipcress File co-star Lucy in Bohemian Rhapsody as Jim Beach.

Ashley Thomas as Maddox (ITV)

Ashley Thomas, known for Top Boy, Them also stars as Maddox and also joining the cast and playing significant roles are Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Dublin Murders, Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War) as General Cathcart, Joshua James as Chico (Industry, Life, Absentia) and David Dencik (McMafia, No Time to Die, Chernobyl) as Colonel Stok.

Filming for The Ipcress files took place in Liverpool, Cheshire, and Croatia last year.

READ MORE: ITV Corrie's Jack P Shepherd shares brilliant photos of romantic trip to London with his stunning girlfriend

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