The Ipcress File ending explained: What happened to Harry Palmer?

Peaky Blinders star Joe Cole leads the cast of the six-parter alongside Bohemian Rhapsody’s Lucy Boynton, and Pride & Prejudice actor Tom Hollander.

Based on Len Deighton’s 1962 novel of the same name, The Ipcress File follows British army sergeant Harry Palmer (Cole) who’s imprisoned for dodgy dealings in Berlin during the Cold War. As an alternative to serving his prison sentence, however, he’s offered the chance to work for British intelligence.

But what happens to Cole’s Harry? Here’s everything you need to know about The Ipcress File’s dramatic ending. But be warned: full spoilers follow.

The Ipcress File ending explained

The Ipcress File concluded its six-part adventure with the discovery and exposure of the "Ipcress" plot, involving brainwashing technique with the ultimate aim of assassinating President John F Kennedy.

Our very own smuggler-turned-spy Harry Palmer (Joe Cole in The Ipcress File cast) was the unlucky subject of the brainwashing experiment in the penultimate episode, overseen by a group of traitorous American military intelligence agents, including Paul Maddox (Ashley Thomas).

In the Sir Michael Caine film of the same name, a British intelligence officer called Major Dalby turns out to be the traitor behind the brainwashing plot, but in a departure from the film, the TV show's version of Dalby (Tom Hollander) turns out to be the one who rescues Harry Palmer in the nick of time...

At the end of episode 5, Harry Palmer had escaped into the English countryside following the brainwashing treatment, during which he had distracted himself through pain, pulling at the skin around his thumb. He was discovered by Maddox's henchman, and Jean Courtney (Lucy Boynton) managed to track both down. Maddox told her that the treatment hadn't worked, and she was free to take Harry home with her.

However, it turned out the brainwashing had succeeded, the plan being that Harry would assassinate the President during his visit to Birch Grove, the real-life countryside residence of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

Meanwhile Dalby learnt that his boss, the Minister for Defence (Paul Higgins), was secretly in the pay of the Americans, but after confronting him he managed to escape and make his way to Birch Grove, where Harry had also been taken under the pretence of an important meeting with the minister.

Once at Birch Grove, Harry's brainwashing was triggered, and, from an upstairs vantage point, he aimed a gun at the President's head. However, Dalby managed to overpower the Minister, before calming down Palmer - who ultimately shot the American General Cathcart (Maddox's scheming boss) instead.

Read More:

• The Ipcress File writer explains why he was initially 'confused' by story
• The Ipcress File's Ashley Thomas explains episode 1 ending
• The Ipcress File director says series contains “a little wink” to Michael Caine

The Ipcress File is available to stream now on the ITV Hub. Check out our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features or find something to watch with our TV Guide.

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