James Bond's Gemma Arterton leads spy thriller Secret Service – with Adolescence and Doctor Who stars

Described as "suspenseful, topical and deeply rooted in today’s political landscape" the five-parter will delve into long-standing tensions between Russia and the UK, with Arterton starring as senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson – who discovers that a high-ranking UK politician may be a Russian asset during an undercover mission.

The synopsis teases: "Kate finds herself in a desperate race to uncover their identity. As a brutal murder thrusts her team into the spotlight, Kate must navigate the dangerous world of espionage while trying to hold her family together and protect her reputation."

Arterton is joined in the cast by a number of other big names including Rafe Spall (The English), Mark Stanley (Adolescence), and Alex Kingston (Doctor Who), while there are also roles for Roger Allam (Endeavour), Amaka Okafor (Bodies) and Khalid Abdalla (The Day of the Jackal).

Meanwhile, the ensemble cast also includes Avi Nash, Aoife Hinds, Rochenda Sandall, Alma Prelec, Galaxie Clear, Harley Barton, Michael Tcherepashenets, Petar Zekavica, Miglen Mirtchev, Juris Žagars and Lana Vlady.

The series is also notable for marking a reunion between Bradby and director James Marsh – who won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for his film Man on Wire – after they previously collaborated on the 2012 film Shadow Dancer.

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"I am delighted to be stepping into the world of such a topical and gripping espionage thriller with this talented creative team," Arterton said of her casting. "Collaborating with Tom Bradby, Jemma Kennedy [screenwriter], James Marsh, and the remarkable production team at Potboiler is incredibly exciting. I can’t wait to bring this story to life alongside the outstanding cast."

Marsh added: "We’ve assembled a brilliant ensemble of actors to bring to life these gripping, compelling scripts which have uncanny echoes in real-world politics. It’s an exciting and irresistible prospect for a film maker."

Meanwhile Bradby said it was "unbelievably exciting to be on the cusp of filming this drama", adding that he was "really blown away by the quality of the cast" and that "the show could hardly be more timely and topical".

Secret Service will air on ITV1 and ITVX.

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