Danny Dyer confirmed to lead “heart-in-mouth” historical siege drama from former Slow Horses showrunner

by

After Will Smith finished working on the popular spy show Slow Horses after its fifth season, people have been eager to find out what his next project would be.

He’s officially adapting Ben Macintyre’s popular book, The Siege, into a six-episode series for Channel 4.

Danny Dyer, known for his role in Rivals, will headline the cast of the new series, joined by David Morrissey from Sherwood and Motaz Malhees of The Voice of Hind Rajab.

Directed by Lewis Arnold, known for his work on ‘Time’, the new series is a gripping story about a diverse group of people unexpectedly united by a conflict that appears impossible to resolve.

On April 30th, 1980, six armed separatists of Iranian-Arab origin stormed the Iranian embassy in London and took 26 people hostage. They were demanding greater self-governance for their community.

For six days, a tense standoff continued as the gunmen, hostages, and police fought for control. Meanwhile, the SAS secretly prepared a risky operation to end the siege, which would be broadcast to a global audience.

This six-part series expertly blends suspense with heartfelt emotion, sharp observations, and even humor. It offers a compelling and complete look at a crucial time in history, when all eyes were on Britain and the world waited with bated breath.

The show will feature performances by Leo Bill (known for Funny Woman), Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey), Alex Jennings (MobLand), Alexej Manvelov (Dept. Q), Sara Shirpey (Top Dog), Omid Djalili (Betrayal), Nicola Stephenson (The Long Shadow), Stephen Campbell Moore (Industry), Sean Pertwee (NCIS: Tony & Ziva), and Enzo Cilenti (Black Mirror), alongside Dyer, Morrissey, and Malhees.

The show also stars Sam Troughton, known for ‘Black Doves,’ Iddo Goldberg (‘Peaky Blinders’), Armin Karima (‘Prisoner 951’), Asim Chaudhry (‘Tinsel Town’), Moe Bar-El (‘Alien: Earth’), Kavé Niku (‘Tehran’), Nina Mahdavi (‘Ambivalence’), Catayoune Ahmadi (‘Reading Lolita in Tehran’), Lorne MacFadyen (‘Vigil’), Aneurin Barnard (‘Doctor Who’), Mark Bonnar (‘The Celebrity Traitors’), and Gwilym Lee (‘SAS: Rogue Heroes’).

Want to see this content?

We can’t display this content because of a security measure called reCAPTCHA. If you’re signed in to Contentpass, please sign out to see it.

When the series was announced, Channel 4’s chief content officer, Ian Katz, explained that the Iranian embassy siege and the subsequent raid were defining moments that established the modern SAS’s reputation for bravery and skill.

This gripping thriller explores the surprising reasons behind the actions of the hostage-takers and shows the very human stories of those inside the embassy during the crisis, all while the world watched and Britain’s elite soldiers prepared for a dangerous raid.

This program will offer a fresh perspective on the siege and show just how easily the famous SAS operation could have failed. We’re excited to be collaborating with Will Smith, Ben Macintyre, Lewis Arnold, Patrick Spence, and a fantastic cast. This significant project demonstrates Channel 4’s dedication to creating high-quality, original British dramas.

Macintyre’s books have been successfully adapted into films and series before. For example, the 2021 film Operation Mincemeat was based on his 2010 book, and the series SAS Rogue Heroes and A Spy Among Friends were also based on his work.

The Siege will air on Channel 4.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a major international TV production company. He has a Bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre Studies, and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2026-02-13 14:08