SAS Rogue Heroes: Release date, trailer, and latest news
The new drama from Steven Knight tells an account of the formation of the Special Air Service during WWII.
Fans of Peaky Blinders will likely have been lapping up new BBC drama SAS Rogue Heroes, which comes from that show's creator Steven Knight.
The new series shares a similar sensibility, with plenty of internal angst, a historical backdrop, a rocking soundtrack and some epic action.
The new series started airing in October this year, and stars Connor Swindells (Sex Education), Jack O’Connell, Alfie Allen and The Crown star Dominic West.
It is set against the backdrop of the North African campaign in World War Two, and has been described as a fictionalised account of how the Special Forces unit was formed "under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two”.
It sees eccentric young officer David Stirling, the real-life founder of the Special Air Service (Swindells) come up with a plan to gather the "toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines".
In our review, we argue that the "punky war drama is a worthy successor to Peaky Blinders".
Read on for everything we know about SAS: Rogue Heroes so far, including when it started airing, further plot details, and a full cast list.
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SAS: Rogue Heroes release date and time
SAS: Rogue Heroes premiered on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday 30th October 2022.
The series consists of six episodes, with new episodes having been airing every Sunday evening.
However, the entire series was also released as a boxset on BBC iPlayer on the date of the first episode.
Who stars in SAS Rogue Heroes?
The following stars feature in the SAS: Rogue Heroes cast.
- Connor Swindells as David Stirling
- Jack O’Connell as Paddy Mayne
- Alfie Allen as Jock Lewes
- Sofia Boutella as Eve
- Dominic West as Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke
- Tom Glynn-Carney as Mike Sadler
- Jacob McCarthy as Johnny Cooper
- Stuart Campbell as Bill Fraser
- Bobby Schofield as Dave Kershaw
- Dónal Finn plays Eoin McGonigal
- Amir El-Masry as Dr Gamal
- Theo Barklem-Biggs as Reg Seekings
- Paul Boche as Walter Essner
- Moritz Jahn as Herbert Brückner
Sex Education and Vigil star Connor Swindells leads the cast for the series as SAS founder David Stirling and is joined by a host of other recognisable names.
Among them are Skins and The North Water star Jack O'Connell as Paddy Mayne and Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen as Jock Lewes, while The Mummy's Sofia Boutella takes on the role of Eve.
Meanwhile, Dominic West (The Wire, The Crown) stars as Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke and Theo Barklem-Biggs (The First Team) plays Reg Seekings.
There are also roles for Jason Watkins (The Crown, McDonald & Dodds), Tom Glynn-Carney (Dunkirk), Stuart Campbell (Baptiste), Virgile Bramly (Luther), Ralph Davis (Small Axe), Ian Davies (Game of Thrones), and Miles Jupp, among others.
SAS: Rogue Heroes trailer
The BBC has dropped a new trailer for SAS: Rogue Heroes, giving fans a taste of what to expect from the drama.
The 30-second clip opens with a voiceover stating: "We are a band of oddities, gentlemen, and pirates," while also setting the scene: Cairo, in 1941.
We then hear Swindells’ character asking a recruit why he wants to fight, to which he replies: "I just love killing fascists, sir."
The trailer also gives fans a glimpse at some potential romance storylines, and one or two major explosions. Watch below:
SAS: Rogue Heroes plot: What is it about?
According to the BBC, the drama gives an account of "how the world’s greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two".
Opening in Cairo in 1941, the show introduces us to eccentric young officer David Stirling as he devises a rebellious plan to gather the "toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines".
Speaking about the project in 2021, Steven Knight said it had been "a privilege" to work on the project, adding that it, "Tells the story of a renegade band of soldiers who used wit and imagination as much as firepower to halt the march of Fascism across North Africa during the darkest days of World War Two."
He added: "This is a war story like no other, told in a way that is at once inspired by the facts and true to the spirit of this legendary brigade of misfits and adventurers."
SAS: Rogue Heroes continues on Sundays on BBC One, while all six episodes are available now on BBC iPlayer. Visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out the rest of our Drama coverage.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
