Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire join Netflix spy series Black Doves

Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire are to join the cast of new Netflix spy series Black Doves.

Multi award winning actors Ben Whishaw (This is Going to Hurt, A Very British Scandal and Paddington) and Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) will star alongside previously announced Keira Knightley.

The six part series, which began filming in central London last week, will also star Andrew Buchan (Carnival Row), Andrew Koji (Warrior), Kathryn Hunter (Andor), Sam Troughton (Chernobyl, Mank), Ella Lily Hyland (Fifteen Love, Silent Roar), Adam Silver (The Diplomat, Masters of The Air, Eric), Ken Nwosu (Look the Other Way and Run) and Gabrielle Creevy (In My Skin).

In the enchanting Christmas setting of London, Black Doves unfolds as a gripping, action-packed tale steeped in emotion, focusing on themes of friendship and sacrifice.

The story revolves around Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a sharp-witted, grounded, and devoted wife and mother who also happens to be a seasoned spy. For a decade, she has been sharing her husband’s confidential information with the clandestine organization she serves: the enigmatic Black Doves. When her clandestine lover, Jason, is tragically assassinated, her spymaster, the mysterious Reed (Sarah Lancashire), summons an old friend to ensure Helen’s safety.

Enter Sam Young (Ben Whishaw), a sophisticated, champagne-sipping assassin. Having withdrawn from the world of espionage after a failed mission with catastrophic consequences, he returns to a London that has evolved in his absence. As his past looms ominously, his mission becomes clear: safeguard Helen as she delves into the circumstances surrounding Jason’s murder. Together, they embark on a quest that will unravel an intricate, far-reaching conspiracy. This web of intrigue connects the seedy underbelly of London to an impending geopolitical crisis, forcing them to reevaluate the moral choices they’ve made and the steep price of those decisions.

Black Doves is created and written by Joe Barton (Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project).

Joe Barton said: “I started writing the scripts for this show over last year’s Christmas holidays, fuelled by turkey sandwiches and discarded bottles of cream liquor. To be now going into production with a cast and crew full of people whose work I admire so much is unbelievably exciting and I couldn’t be more thrilled to get to see this show come to life.”

A release date is to be announced.