ITV's highly anticipated thriller Secret Service is set to make its debut on television screens in just a few hours. The new series, adapted from a novel by Tom Bradby, follows MI6 agent Kate Henderson, portrayed by Gemma Arterton, as a covert investigation uncovers evidence that a high-ranking UK politician may be working as a Russian asset.
The synopsis adds: "With trust shattered and her career on the line, Kate must navigate the shifting sands of political loyalty, international threat, and personal sacrifice." Gemma and her co-stars travelled across the world to film for the ITV spy thriller — and here is where the show was actually shot.
Where was Secret Service filmed?
Secret Service was predominantly filmed in two locations: London and Malta. Malta has become a popular production hub in recent years, thanks to tax incentives and dependable weather. It has also played host to productions such as Game of Thrones and Munich.
Where in Malta was Secret Service filmed?
Filming in Malta took place across Senglea, Dingli, and Rabat. Senglea, part of the historic Three Cities, overlooks the Grand Harbour. Dingli boasts dramatic coastal cliffs and sweeping sea views, while Rabat is renowned for its historic streets and catacombs. "We had a brilliant Maltese locations team who found the most incredible villa near the coastal cliffs of Dingli with an infinity pool and numerous outbuildings," ITV said. "We moved to the historic streets of Rabat for the approach to the important meetings in the church, in an actual church we found in Senglea."
How Secret Service recreated the MI6 building
The actual MI6 headquarters is situated on the Thames in London; however, the interiors were recreated on a custom-built set. "We have some knowledge that the interiors are actually like so we decided that we would be best to build the interior and our locations team found an empty brutalist 1960s building in Hayes," ITV explained. "Our wonderful designers and set decorators turned it into our very own SIS headquarters, built the tiger trap doors, and we used green screens behind the windows in order to drop in the views across the Thames."
Where else was Secret Service filmed?
A lot of filming also took place in the UK. The Old Royal Naval College doubled as government interiors, while Harefield House in Uxbridge served as the Prime Minister's office. "For our external shots of number 10, where characters might be making announcements... we used John Adam Street, which can be found around the corner from the real front door of Number 10," the production team revealed. Airport scenes were not shot at RAF Northolt either — Farnborough International Gate was used in its place.
Secret Service is available to stream on ITVX now. The first episode airs on ITV1 on Monday, April 27 at 9pm.
