There are some great new series coming to our screens this autumn, but as a huge thriller fan, I’m particularly excited about Sky’s upcoming eight-parter, The Iris Affair.
Not only is the series led by BAFTA winner Tom Hollander (The White Lotus) and Niamh Algar (Malpractice), both of whom have an impressive list of gripping dramas on their CV, but it’s created and written by Neil Cross, the mastermind behind the award-winning crime drama, Luther.
If The Iris Affair is half as gripping as the Idris Elba-starring BBC series, viewers are in for a real treat.
Keep reading for all we know about the show so far.
What is The Iris Affair about?
Billed as a “tense and cinematic chase thriller” set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Italy, the eight-parter sees two brilliant minds pitted against each other in a “deadly game of hide and seek”.
The official synopsis reads: “When enigmatic genius Iris Nixon cracks a string of complex online puzzles, she’s led to a piazza in Florence where she meets charismatic entrepreneur Cameron Beck. He invites her to come and work for him to unlock a powerful and top-secret piece of technology. Her curiosity piqued, she accepts. But when Iris discovers its dangerous potential, she steals the journal containing the device’s activation sequence—and vanishes.
“What follows is a relentless pursuit, from a remote cabin in Sardinia through the bustling streets of Rome, as Cameron races to find Iris in a high-stakes game where trust is dangerous and failure could be catastrophic.”
Where have you seen Niamh Algar before?
Irish actress Niamh Algar is known for her roles in Malpractice, Playing Nice and Suspect. She also starred in the 2019 Irish crime drama, Calm with Horses, for which she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Niamh plays “enigmatic genius” Iris Nixon in the upcoming thriller
Where have you seen Tom Hollander before?
Tom Hollander boasts an impressive TV and film career. He’s perhaps best known for playing Lord Cutler Beckett in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as well as Mr. Collins in the 2005 Jane Austen adaptation, Pride & Prejudice.
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Viewers will also recognise him for his roles in The Night Manager, The White Lotus and Rev.
Tom plays Cameron Beck, a charismatic entrepreneur, in The Iris Affair.
HELLO!’s TV Writer Abby Allen said: “Tom Hollander is easily one of the nation’s most versatile actors – whether you know him from Pride and Prejudice, The White Lotus or About Time. The fact he’s leading The Iris Affair is reason enough to tune in – and I can’t wait to see him bring this high-stakes thriller to life.”
Meet the main cast
The series boasts a cast of familiar faces, including Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones, Force Majeure), Harry Lloyd (Arcane, Marcella), Meréana Tomlinson (The Trials), Sacha Dhawan (The Great, Doctor Who) and Maya Sansa (Good Morning, Night, Dormant Beauty).
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Rounding out the main cast are Peter Sullivan (Poldark, The Borgias), Debi Mazar (Younger, Entourage), Marco Leonardi (Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, Anime Nere), Angela Bruce (Silver Haze, Doctor Who) and Lorenzo De Moor (A Simple Favour 2, Dolce Fine Giornata).
When will the series be released?
The Iris Affair comes to Sky and NOW soon. A release date has yet to be announced.
