In the gripping true drama A Spy Among Friends, set in the 1950s, we are introduced to the murky and alluring world of spying during the Cold War.
Based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book of the same name, A Spy Among Friends tells the true story of Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis) & Kim Philby (Guy Pearce), two lifelong friends who were both spies during the height of the Cold War, one of whom was betraying the other all along.
The three interrogations that make up the bulk of the drama are those between Philby & Elliott, Philby and his Soviet handler Sergei (Karel Roden), and—most intriguingly—Elliott and a tough MI5 debriefer named Mrs. Taylor (Anna Maxwell Martin).
Where Was ITV’s A Spy Among Friends Filmed?
Most of A Spy Among Friends was shot in London and Bucharest, Romania.
Tom Radisch previously said on Instagram that the shooting was over and thanked the UK and Romania with the caption, “London-Paris-Bucharest…live like a spy.”
Production jobs have long been attracted to Romania because of its dependable studios, diverse selection of filming locations, and skilled crews.
Various productions, including commercials, TV shows, and feature films, are attracted to Romania due to its affordable labor costs and robust network of locations that can serve as stand-ins for much of Europe.
Furthermore, there are many places in Romania that serve as stand-ins for other nations. The Transfagarasan road is similar to the St. Gotthard Pass in Switzerland, the Stelvio Pass in Italy, or the Trollstigen in Norway, and the mountains resemble the Swiss Alps. The eastern part of Romania might mimic Wild West settings.
Other Locations
Damian Lewis, a former star of Billions, was spotted filming A Spy Among Friends in Richmond, West London. Richmond offers any filmmaker a wide range of sites, including stunning Royal Parks, historic homes, energetic town centers, theaters, schools, cemeteries, libraries, halls, and galleries.
The River Thames flows through the borough’s center for 21 miles, connecting Richmond Town Center, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court Palace to central London. Over the years, Richmond has served as the location for several feature films, TV dramas, commercials, and documentaries, from blockbuster movies to television dramas.
Agricultural fields, bog forests, waterfront parks, trails, and beaches with picturesque mountain backdrops and top-notch recreation facilities, as well as historical places such as a charming fishing village and a farmhouse from the 1880s, can all be used as movie locations.
It will be interesting to see how the visually stunning locations used to film the series suit the storyline.
A Spy Among Friends Streaming Platform
On November 1, 2022, A Spy Among Friends will go live globally on the streaming service BritBox & in the UK on the brand-new ITV streaming service ITVX.
The series was first rumored to be under development in 2020 and had been provisionally scheduled to be released last year. However, there were undoubtedly some delays because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. There will be six episodes in the drama.
It is produced by BAFTA winner Chrissy Skinns (“Elizabeth is Missing”) and directed by BAFTA winner Nick Murphy (“Save Me”). Veritas Entertainment Group’s executive producers are Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, and Peter Jaysen.
A Spy Among Friends Plot
The show explores espionage and how its consequences still impact East-West relations along with giving a glimpse into friends.
In the 1950s, Philby, a prominent British spy, defected to the Soviet Union and gave information to the Russians during the early stages of the Cold War. He and Elliott both started out as spies, but as they moved up the MI6 ladder, Philby became a double agent.
Kim Philby was the child of St. John Philby, a colonial officer who eventually converted to Islam and served as the Saudi family’s advisor. While serving in the colonial services, he collaborated with a high-ranking intelligence officer who assisted in the recruitment of 28-year-old Kim, a foreign journalist during the Spanish Civil War.
Whoever recruited young Philby for Soviet intelligence in 1934 was unknown. And although the MI5 checked him out a little because of his connections to Communist organizations while he was attending Cambridge, they discovered nothing about his past.
Along with being a great benefit, Elliott and Philby’s boarding school upbringing also made them strong prospects for a future in intelligence services.
The New York Times said that the double-hander has characteristics of a John le Carré or Ian Fleming book. Le Carré, the king of spy fiction and author of The Night Manager, even wrote an afterword for the book.
Some FAQs
How can I watch A Spy Among Friends?
You can watch it on BritBox and the brand-new ITV streaming service ITVX in the UK.
When will A Spy Among Friends release?
It will release on November 1, 2022.
Is A Spy Among Friends based on true story?
Yes, it is based on a true story of Kim Philby and Nicholas Elliot.