tom bradby has opened up about stepping away from his ITV News role for three months in 2018 after what he described as a breakdown. He spoke while discussing Secret Service, the new ITV thriller adapted from his novel, with the project now set for launch on Monday, April 27 at 9 p. m. ET. The timing has put tom bradby back in the spotlight as the series leans into espionage, political tension, and personal strain.
Tom Bradby reflects on the break that changed him
Tom bradby said he took the sabbatical after developing insomnia and what he called an addiction to sleeping medication. He said that after finishing the book, the situation in the story and his own state of mind began to feel closely connected.
He described the character Kate Henderson as someone skating on the edge of acute insomnia and some kind of breakdown, then added that shortly after he finished writing it, “this is exactly what happened to me. ” He said he “rebooted and recovered” during the three months away from work.
The comments give a personal edge to the launch of Secret Service, which stars Gemma Arterton as MI6 officer Kate Henderson and Rafe Spall as Stuart. The five-episode drama follows Kate as her undercover work reveals alarming evidence that a high-ranking UK politician may be a Russian asset.
Why Secret Service still feels current
The drama centers on espionage, family pressure, and a race to uncover a hidden identity while a brutal murder draws Kate’s team into the spotlight. Its setting also reflects rising friction between the UK and Russia, which remains central to the story’s tension.
Tom bradby said the novel had to evolve for television because the world itself was changing. He said the “slightly scary” part was that the story “never felt any less relevant, ” adding that it keeps getting more relevant, which is good for drama but not necessarily for democratic societies.
Cast, setting, and the first reactions
The series was filmed in Malta and London and also includes Alex Kingston, Mark Stanley, Roger Allam, and Khalid Abdalla. Bradby said he has been “blown away by the quality of the cast, ” and he added that the show could hardly be more timely and topical.
Gemma Arterton said she was delighted to step into the world of what she called a topical and gripping espionage thriller, and said she could not wait to bring the story to life alongside the cast. Viewers have also responded with enthusiasm to the teaser, saying they “can’t wait” to watch.
For tom bradby, the launch of Secret Service now carries two storylines at once: the political urgency of the drama and the personal history behind its writing. With the premiere fixed for Monday, April 27 at 9 p. m. ET, attention is turning to how the series will land and whether tom bradby’s mix of lived experience and newsroom instinct will give it the edge ITV is promising.
