Slow Horses writer says that season 5's British politics plot is "sadly topical"
"It feels very relevant."
As we approach the fifth season of Slow Horses, which will be released this September, the author of the Slough House books on which the series is based, Mick Herron, and the showrunner of the adaptation, Will Smith, spoke exclusively with Radio Times.
The duo are appearing together at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, which runs between 17th and 20th July, and spoke about the adaptation process and how the books have been translated for the screen.
Smith then opened up about the variety the book series provides.
"What I love about the books and what it enables you to do with the series is it can have slightly different emphases," he said.
"Series 1 was kidnap plot, so it starts and it just rips. And series 2 was the Russian spies in the past being reactivated, and it delved into the past so it had that different kind of energy and feel to it.
"Then 3 was just the scale of it, and the action which became that big set piece shoot-out at the end, which I absolutely love. And then 4 is the darkness of David's backstory and David's decline, and River coping with that, which was all fantastic."
Going on to speak about season 5, he added: "Then 5 I love because Roddy Ho becomes more central, and it's great to see Chris [Chung] as he's grown and just owned that character. So that's been wonderful to watch, it's really exciting to be doing that.
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"And then putting Ho together with characters that might not be able to cope with him - there's real fun to that. The plot as well is, sadly, topical, is the other side to that. It comments on contemporary British politics."
Addressing Herron, Smith then said: "When you wrote it, I'm sure you thought, ‘Oh, that's all going to go away.’ But it feels very relevant."
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The official synopsis for season 5 says: "In season 5 of Slow Horses, everyone is suspicious when resident tech nerd Roddy Ho has a glamorous new girlfriend.
"When a series of increasingly bizarre events occur across the city, it falls to the Slow Horses to work out how everything is connected. After all, Lamb knows that in the world of espionage, the London Rules - cover your back - always apply."
The series, which has been running since 2022, stars Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves, Jonathan Pryce and more.
Slow Horses season 5 releases on 25th September 2025 on Apple TV+ – sign up to Apple TV+ now.
Mick Herron & Will Smith are appearing at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (17th-20th July) at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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.
