Shaun Evans reveals how ITV’s Betrayal most differs from other spy thrillers
Evans spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com about the new four-part series.
Endeavour star Shaun Evans is back on ITV, this time starring in four-part spy thriller Betrayal, in which he plays a mid-career MI5 officer.
The series follows Evans's character John, as he finds himself under investigation, while also struggling with problems in his personal life, and becoming increasingly convinced that a hardline faction of the Iranian regime are planning an attack.
When speaking with RadioTimes.com exclusively about the series, Evans noted that when adding to a genre as well established as the spy thriller, you have to bring "a fresh, new voice" to it.
Evans said that the way in for him and the team behind the programme was to make John an "everyman figure", and to look at "the daily life, the reality of what it's actually like to work for the security services".
"The idea that you could be dealing with international terrorism at work and coming home and having to bath the kids or put a wash on, for me, seemed very fertile territory if we really wanted to dig into the idea of a midlife crisis," Evans said.
He continued: "These are just everyday people doing an extraordinary job. And that is it really - we have a tendency to glamorise and mystify them, but actually…"
"I think there needs to be an everyday quality to John," Evans added. "It needs to feel realistic and relatable, but still exciting. And so we tried to incorporate all of those aspects into the show, for it to feel exciting, fresh, current, but also completely real and relatable."
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As well as Evans, the series also stars Romola Garai as Claire, John's wife, and Zahra Ahmadi as Mehreen Askari-Evans, an intelligence operative who is tasked with taking over John’s duties while he is under investigation.
They are joined in the cast by Gamba Cole (The Outlaws), Omid Djalili (His Dark Materials), Matthew Tennyson (Grantchester), Hayley Tamaddon (Unforgotten), Anthony Flanagan (House of the Dragon), Paddy Rowan (G’wed) and Waj Ali (Out There).
Betrayal will premiere at 9pm on Sunday 8th February on ITV1 and ITVX in 2026.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
