Cambridge Spies
Drama about four Cambridge students recruited as Soviet spies.
Cambridge Spies is a four-part British drama written by Peter Moffat and directed by Tim Fywell, first broadcast on BBC Two in May 2003. It is based on the true story of four Cambridge University students recruited in 1934 to spy for the Soviet Union.
- type
- Television drama series
- broadcast
- May 2003 on BBC Two
- creator
- Peter Moffat (writer), Tim Fywell (director)
- subject
- Cambridge Five Soviet spies
- episodes
- Four parts
- setting
- 1934 to 1951
Lore & Background
The series follows the lives of Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt and Donald Maclean, who while studying at the University of Cambridge are courted by Soviet agents and recruited into covert intelligence and espionage. Fuelled by youthful idealism, a passion for social justice, a talent for lying and a hatred for fascism, the four take huge personal risks to pass Britain's biggest secrets to Moscow. Across almost twenty years of spying and treachery, they are bound by their beliefs, the secrets they know about one another, and the knowledge that they stand or fall together.
Reader's Guide
Cambridge Spies was commissioned by Jane Tranter, BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning, with production announced in August 2002. The BBC stated it wanted the audience to sympathise with the spies, portraying them as 'incredibly glamorous', and described it as a 'fresh' take on the story, the first time the group's story had been tackled by film-makers. Filming began in September 2002 at locations in England and Spain, including the University of Cambridge, various London sites, and Spanish locations doubling for Vienna and Guernica. Viewing figures averaged 2 million per episode. Critical reception was mixed: Mark Lawson of The Guardian called it 'high-class drama, but historically it's best regarded as a cover story', while Will Self of the Evening Standard said 'the historical inaccuracy is unforgivable' and that 'the historical liberties that have been taken, kick off from the start'.
Did You Know?
- Filming began in September 2002 at locations in England and Spain.
- Four days into filming, a truck loaded with prop bicycles was stolen from outside a Cambridge hotel.
- Scenes set in Vienna were filmed in Barcelona, and the 1937 bombing of Guernica was filmed in Madrid.
- The complete series was released on DVD on 2 June 2003.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cambridge Spies?
It is a four-part British television drama that dramatizes the true story of four Cambridge University students who were recruited in 1934 to gather intelligence for the Soviet Union. The series was broadcast on BBC Two in May 2003.
Who wrote and directed Cambridge Spies?
Peter Moffat penned the screenplay, and Tim Fywell served as director for the BBC Two production.
Who are the central figures in Cambridge Spies?
The drama follows four young Cambridge students who are drawn into Soviet intelligence work, tracing their recruitment and the long arc of their espionage activities.
What time period does Cambridge Spies cover?
The narrative spans from 1934, when the four students are first approached by their Soviet handlers, all the way through to 1951, capturing the full sweep of their spying careers.
How many episodes are in the Cambridge Spies series?
The drama is structured as a four-part miniseries, with each episode advancing the story of the Cambridge Five's intelligence work for the USSR.
More in British spy television series 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record