Casting and first look revealed for new drama Honey

The BBC has revealed casting for Honey, with filming now underway on the brand new six part darkly comedic Cold War thriller romance from Sid Gentle Films Ltd for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and ZDF.

The tender and flirty, slick and dangerous series goes deep undercover in 1980s East Berlin to explore a shadowy world of counter espionage and risky but irresistible relations.

Leading the cast are Ann Skelly (House of Guinness, The Nevers) who plays Martha Schmitt, Nate Mann (Masters of the Air & Licorice Pizza) as Kurt Fischer, Jannis Niewöhner (Munich: The Edge of War, Napoleon) as Friedrich Bauman, and Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power) as Graham Anderson.

Sally Woodward Gentle, Executive Producer for Sid Gentle Films said; “Everyone says that they couldn’t be more excited by the cast they have assembled but Ann, Nate and Jannis are the real deal. We are beyond thrilled by their inherent talent, intelligence and intuitive brilliance. They shine. And Rory Kinnear! I am in love.”

Joining the lead cast are: Oliver Cudbill as Stefan Weiss, Sonita Henry as Anne Anderson, Victoria Mayer as Ingrid Schimmel, Valentino Dalle Mura as Rolf Muller, July Namir as Kamilla Akhmedova, Julian Niedermeier as Otto Kowalski, Sofia Oxenham as Greta Abstreiter and Daniel Zielinski as Tomas Klein.

East Berlin, 1982. Martha (pronounced Marta), 24, is a deep cover agent for MI6. Surrounded by enemies and constantly under threat of her cover being blown, she tries her hardest to avoid detection by Friedrich, the new Stasi Head of Counterespionage against British Targets, Berlin Office. Finding herself caught between Friedrich and the reckless, arrogant (and incredibly attractive…) CIA operative Aaron Neeland (posing as Kurt Fischer), she is blind-sided by desire in this Cold War menage-a-trois. 

The risk of being garrotted or incarcerated is nothing compared to the horrifying ordeal of falling in love. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and bearing your heart and soul? She'd rather have her fingernails pulled out.

Honey (6 x 45) was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, for BBC iPlayer and BBC One and Frank Seyberth, Head of Coproduction, International Fiction, for ZDF. It is made by Sid Gentle Films Ltd, part of BBC Studios, for the BBC and ZDF, in association with FIFTH SEASON, which will distribute the series globally. Emma Moran is the lead writer and executive producer. Emme Hoy is also a writer on the series. It is executive produced by Sally Woodward Gentle and Lee Morris for Sid Gentle Films Ltd and the producer is Christopher Hall. Toby MacDonald directs episodes 1 – 3 and Michelle Savill directs episodes 4 – 6.

IJ

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