ITV has pulled back the curtain on its upcoming espionage thriller ‘Betrayal‘, giving us a first glimpse at a story packed with secret meetings, shifting loyalties and the sort of moral grey zones MI5 tends to specialise in. The four-part series arrives in 2026 on ITV1, STV, ITVX and the STV Player.
Written by David Eldridge and directed by Julian Jarrold, ‘Betrayal’ drops viewers squarely into an intelligence service where political pressure, personal lives and national security collide in ways that promise trouble for everyone involved.
At the centre of the series is MI5 officer John Hughes, played by Shaun Evans (Until I Kill You, Endeavour, Vigil). John is trying to balance a rapidly changing intelligence landscape with a home life that is becoming increasingly difficult to keep intact. When he follows a hunch and meets a British Iranian man with connections to Stockport gangland, John sparks a chain of events that draws the attention of his superiors, including Simone Grant, played by Nikki Amuka Bird (Avenue 5, Old).
John’s partner Claire is played by Romola Garai (The Years, The Hour), who is left dealing with the secrecy and uncertainty that comes with living alongside a man whose job is built on half truths. Things become even more complicated for John when he crosses paths with intelligence operative Mehreen Askari Evans, played by Zahra Ahmadi (The Bay, Marcella). She is tasked with taking over his duties but quickly becomes an unexpected ally.
As John digs deeper, his focus turns toward a hardline faction within the Iranian regime. At the same time, shadows begin to form closer to home, raising questions about trust, loyalty and whether he can uncover the truth before an attack becomes a reality.
The supporting cast is packed with familiar faces. Gamba Cole (The Outlaws, Three Little Birds), Omid Djalili (The Letter for the King, His Dark Materials), Matthew Tennyson (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grantchester), Hayley Tamaddon (Unforgotten, Coronation Street), Anthony Flanagan (Protection, House of the Dragon), Paddy Rowan (G’wed, Four Lives), Waj Ali (Out There, Dead and Buried), Karim Kadjar (Wolf Hall), Emma Cunniffe (Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, The Long Shadow), Georgina Rylance (Benediction, Sherlock), Ben Lambert (Outlander, The Crown), Julia Watson (Doctor Who, Doctors) and Julian Wadham (Black Doves, The Crown) all appear, along with newcomers Elham Karimpour, Aidan Rivers, Corin Silva and Eliza Agrosoaie.
Produced by Mammoth Screen, the team behind ‘Code of Silence’, ‘Betrayal’ is overseen by executive producers David Eldridge, Shaun Evans, Julian Jarrold, Tom Leggett and Damien Timmer. Production is supported by ITV’s Director of Drama Polly Hill and Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair Jones.
This one looks like a grounded, character driven take on modern espionage that blends personal drama with political tension. With Evans and Garai leading the charge, ‘Betrayal’ feels primed to be one of ITV’s big hitters for 2026.
‘Betrayal‘ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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