TV SERIES · 2002– · UK
Spooks
18 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (18)
- #001
Peter Firth is the only actor to appear in every episode of the series and also starred in the spin-off film MI-5 (2015). He does not, however, appear in Spooks: Code 9 (2008).
- #002
The availability and iconic status of certain London landmarks made them popular locations throughout production. Exterior shots of Thames House, the MI5 headquarters, were used to establish the location in many episodes. Due to the security risks involved in filming such a site, however, the Freemasons' Hall in London was used for scenes of characters entering or leaving the building and for some interiors; the same location was later used as Thames House in the Children of Earth episodes of Torchwood (2006). Filming of the SIS Building was also used for scenes featuring members of the Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6. Other commonly used landmarks included the London Underground and Millennium Bridge. Many scenes were shot in and around the Docklands, particularly Canary Wharf, Rotherhithe, London Bridge and Greenwich (including the Old Royal Naval College), as well as in and around the More London development. Some of the army barracks were filmed at Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood.
- #003
For much of the first series, Matthew Macfadyen's character (Tom Quinn) wore dark glasses, which in fact were sometimes caused by nothing more than a burst blood vessel.
- #004
In season 1, the lampshades hanging from the Grid's ceiling are actually upside-down Ikea wastepaper bins.
- #005
When it first aired, no episode had on-screen credits (until episode 3.6). As a result, everyone is (or should be) listed as uncredited in the titles.
- #006
It aired as Spooks in the United Kingdom; in the United States it is known and broadcast as MI-5. However, the correct rendering of the Security Service's unofficial name would be MI5, without a hyphen.
- #007
Actor Richard Armitage (Lucas North) agreed to actually undergo waterboarding as part of the flashback scene in episode 7.3. In an interview, he said his cries for them to stop had no effect… Other interview notes confirmed that the footage was slowed down to make the shoot appear to last longer, that the room was hot, and that a "safe" gesture was agreed on for Richard to use.
- #008
It controversially included an episode dealing with conspiracy theories about Princess Diana.
- #009
Keeley Hawes met and began a relationship with her co-star Matthew Macfadyen. The couple married in October 2004. They have two children together, and Keeley has one child from a previous marriage.
- #010
In 2020, the UK television channel "Drama" broadcast the entire series from the beginning using the original unedited BBC 1 version. After adding its usual number of commercial breaks, each episode was found to run about 80 minutes, rather than the commercial-free 58–60 minute version.
- #011
The original BBC One broadcasts were scheduled between 21:00 and 22:00, before the 22:00 news. 21:00 is the traditional "watershed" time slot, in which programmes may contain strong language and more violent scenes; it is generally assumed that most children are in bed by then. However, the UK channel "Drama", which has no connection to the UK version of the "CBS Drama" channel, usually aired the series late at night, between 23:00 and 01:00, over several nights. This was partly, obviously, because of some of the inevitable story content, various levels of violence, and, to a lesser extent, strong language, at least by British television standards.
- #012
Peter Firth (Harry) and Jenny Agutter (Tessa) appeared together in the film Equus (1977).
- #013
Despite the existence of MI5 (featured in this series) and MI6, there is no MI1, MI2 and so on. But that was not always the case. MI5 and MI6 began life in 1909 as the Home and Foreign Sections of the Secret Service Bureau. With the outbreak of the First World War, the Secret Service Bureau and the Intelligence Branch (established in 1873) were reorganised as the Directorate of Military Intelligence. Military Intelligence Sections 1–10 were given different responsibilities; this is how the abbreviation MI came about; MI1, MI2 and so on. The former Foreign Section of the Secret Service Bureau was designated MI1 and took on additional responsibility for signals and communications intelligence. In 1919, MI1 was disbanded as communications intelligence was taken over by the organisation that would later become today's GCHQ, and the former Foreign Section merged with MI6. The Home Section of the Secret Service Bureau was designated MI5. In total, eighteen MI sections existed, though not all at the same time — for example, MI1, MI2 and MI3 were disbanded or absorbed shortly after their formation, and the start of the Second World War led to the creation of MI11–MI19, some of which were disbanded or absorbed before the war ended. MI13 was never used, possibly out of superstition. After the end of the Second World War, the responsibilities of the various sections were gradually consolidated, with all communications intelligence taken over by GCHQ, domestic intelligence by the Security Service, and foreign intelligence by the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) (whose existence was not officially acknowledged until 1994). Oversight of the services passed from the War Office to the Home Office (for MI5) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for GCHQ and MI6). Despite their official renaming, the Security Service continues to be known to the public as MI5 and SIS as MI6, or within the services themselves and the military simply as "Five" and "Six". GCHQ and the Security Service (MI5) together are the equivalent of the United States' NSA, which handles both domestic and communications intelligence, and SIS (MI6) is the equivalent of the CIA.
- #014
MI-5 (2002) (originally known as Spooks but also known in some countries as MI-5) is a British television spy drama series that first aired on BBC One between 13 May 2002 and 23 October 2011, running for 10 series. The title is colloquial slang for spies, and the series follows the activities of the intelligence officers of Section D at MI5, in a highly secure suite of offices at the service's Thames House headquarters known as The Grid. In the United States the series is broadcast under the name "MI-5." In Canada the programme first aired as MI-5 but later aired on BBC Canada as Spooks.
- #015
The spin-off Spooks: Code 9 (2008) ran for six episodes and was then cancelled.
- #016
The series continued with the film MI-5 (2015), which premiered on 8 May 2015.
- #017
Rupert Penry-Jones, Raza Jaffrey, Mel Raido and Simon Kassianides attended Dulwich College in London.
- #018
Rupert Penry-Jones and Miranda Raison also appeared together in Silk (2011).
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