Skip to main content

Meet your new favourite thriller

Meet your new favourite thriller

Don’t miss Keeley Hawes in superb political drama, Bodyguard, brand new to BBC One

Trust absolutely no one in this compelling six-part series from the makers of Line Of Duty

Bodyguard, Sunday 26 August, 9pm, BBC One/HD (CH 101/108). Also available for 30 days in Catch Up > Channels > BBC iPlayer

Now, before you get too excited, this isn’t Keeley Hawes does Whitney Houston. Nor is it Richard Madden doing Kevin Costner. But turn that frown upside down, because this Bodyguard still has plenty going for it.

 

Created by Jed Mercurio (more on him later!), it focuses on war veteran David Budd (Richard Madden, Game Of Thrones), who’s now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London’s Metropolitan Police Service. Basically, he’s a high-level – you guessed it – bodyguard. But when tasked with protecting Home Secretary Julia Montague (Hawes), he finds his job at odds with his personal beliefs.

Check out the trailer


Will David’s principles get in the way of his job? Will he, in turn, become the biggest threat to the Home Secretary’s safety? There is only one way to find out. Here are five reasons to tune into this politically charged thriller…

 

1. Everything Mercurio touches turns to gold

Former doctor and Royal Air Force officer Mercurio has got an excellent track record. His first novel, Bodies, was adapted into an award-winning drama and ranked in The Guardian’s list of “The Greatest TV Dramas of All Time”. And, lest we forget, Line Of Duty. The phenomenally successful police procedural – which Hawes also starred in – owes its immense success to Mercurio’s stunning writing.

 

2. We can’t get enough of Keeley Hawes


We love her in Line Of Duty. We love her in The Durrells (above). We love her in The Missing. And she is the perfect choice for the ruthless, manipulative Home Secretary in Bodyguard.

 

3. The rest of the cast is awesome

The impressive list of actors joining Hawes and Madden includes Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders), Vincent Franklin (Happy Valley), Gina McKee (Line Of Duty) and Rowena King (Trauma).

 

4. London looks majestic

Bodyguard is filmed right in the heart of the capital, with London a major character in its own right. Locations include the Old Bailey and Highgate.

 

5. It will keep you going until Line Of Duty returns


If you’re a bit frustrated at having to wait until 2019 for series 5 of Line Of Duty, then Bodyguard will help get you through. It’s packed with all the jaw-to-the-floor moments you need to get your fix.

 

You might also like

Channels, content and features available depend on your chosen package.

TV channels: Channel line-ups are subject to change and regional variations. TV packs currently exclude some teletext services.

HD: HD TV required to view HD channels. Number of inclusive HD channels depends on package. 

Image credits: Bodyguard @ World Productons – Photographer: Des Willie