Guy Pearce and Damian Lewis take the lead roles in ‘A Spy Among Friends’, set to air on M-Net

Viewers who love cerebral entertainment and the world of espionage will want to tune into the upcoming limited series, A Spy Among Friends. The thrilling espionage series is set to premiere on Monday, 4 September at 8pm on M-Net (DStv Channel 101). This critically acclaimed 6-part series stars Guy Pearce (Mare of Easttown, The Hurt Locker) and Damian Lewis (Homeland, Billions).

Based on a true story, it follows British intelligence officer Nicholas Elliott (Lewis) who’s stunned to learn that his best friend and colleague, Kim Philby (Pearce), has been secretly working as a double agent for the KGB since the 1930s. Elliott is forced to confront the betrayal of his closest friend, and the damage that Philby’s actions have done to British intelligence.

Complex and suspenseful, A Spy Among Friends retells the events around the most infamous spy scandals in UK history and is based on the best-selling Ben Macintyre book of the same name. It perfectly captures the tense climate of the Cold War – when the stakes were high and the consequences of being caught could be deadly.

Variety called it “elegantly told” and The A.V. Club lauded the “stellar ensemble cast that makes even the most seemingly drab and dry scenes [two people in a room talking] feel like high-stakes drama with spidery diplomatic repercussions.”

Here are two more reasons to tune in:

• News of double agent Philby, who was able to operate in the highest levels of UK intelligence without being caught, dominated global headlines at the time. A Spy Among Friends is the perfect way to learn about this riveting historical event.
• Critics have said that A Spy Among Friends is the best Macintyre adaptation they’ve seen so far.

A Spy Among Friends is proudly brought to you by M-Net and DStv – The home of entertainment. The series is available on DStv Premium on M-Net (Channel 101) on Monday at 8pm from 4 September, as well as live-streamed on DStv Stream, and is also available on DStv Catch Up after broadcast. Visit the M-Net Website and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.