Frederick Forsyth Presents
Six espionage films introduced by Frederick Forsyth.
Frederick Forsyth Presents is a British television anthology of six made-for-TV films, produced by FremantleMedia for LWT on ITV. The series aired between 2 December 1989 and 8 December 1990. The stories, later collected in Forsyth’s 1991 novel *The Deceiver*, centre on espionage and war.
The recurring protagonist is Sam McCready, a Secret Intelligence Service field agent played by Alan Howard. McCready has become an author but remains active in SIS operations. He is the lead in most films, though he appears in a supporting role in *A Little Piece of Sunshine*. Each episode is introduced on screen by Frederick Forsyth.
McCready is an experienced agent whose methods are increasingly out of favour. The plots unfold in international flashpoints such as the Middle East, Berlin, and the West Indies. A central conflict runs through the series: a divide within British intelligence and government between those who favour a subordinate relationship with the CIA and those, like McCready, who advocate for greater independence. Another tension pits Signals intelligence (Sigint)—electronic interception and satellite surveillance—against Human intelligence (Humint), gathered by agents in the field. The series mocks the pro-CIA camp and those overly reliant on technology, while also gently criticising the CIA.
In 1988, Frederick Forsyth secured a contract with London Weekend Television for six thrillers under the banner *Frederick Forsyth Presents*. The first three episodes were filmed, and the series launched in December 1989. Ahead of the premiere, producers expressed hope of attracting eight million viewers.
- broadcast_period
- 2 December 1989 – 8 December 1990
- network
- ITV (LWT)
- production_company
- FremantleMedia
- number_of_films
- 6
- based_on
- Stories later published as The Deceiver
- recurring_character
- Sam McCready (played by Alan Howard)
- presenter
- Frederick Forsyth
Lore & Background
The series centers on Sam McCready, a Secret Intelligence Service agent played by Alan Howard, who has become an author but continues to work on SIS operations. McCready appears in all six films, usually as the lead, though in A Little Piece of Sunshine he has a supporting role. The stories are set in areas of international tension, including the Middle East, Berlin, and the West Indies.
Reader's Guide
The films highlight a division in British espionage and government between those favoring a subservient relationship with the American CIA and those, like McCready, who advocate for more independence. There is also tension between proponents of Signals intelligence (Sigint) and Human intelligence (Humint). The series mocks the subservient camp and those over-awed by technology, while gently finding fault with the CIA. In 1988, Frederick Forsyth secured a contract with London Weekend Television for six thrillers under the headline name Frederick Forsyth Presents, with a linked book published in 1991 as The Deceiver. The first three episodes were filmed, and the launch was set for December 1989; producers hoped to attract eight million viewers.
Did You Know?
- The series consists of six films first broadcast between 2 December 1989 and 8 December 1990.
- All six films feature the character Sam McCready, played by Alan Howard.
- The stories were later published as the Forsyth novel The Deceiver in 1991.
- Each story is introduced on screen by Frederick Forsyth.
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