Spooks stars reunite to recreate this classic picture (and laugh as they fail!)

Spooks cast
(Image credit: BBC)

Spooks original cast members Matthew Macfayden, Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo have reunited at an awards ceremony and attempted to recreate an iconic shot from the BBC One hit.

The three stars helped Spooks become one of the broadcaster's biggest hits, as they played MI5 spies battling a range of threats.

And the trio met up at the Critics Choice Awards in America over the weekend, with Oyelowo sharing an image on Instagram of them in full Spooks mode.

He wrote: "We tried sooo hard to recreate this pic from 21 years ago and we had far too much fun failing to do so. The show from back in the day was SPOOKS (MI5 in US) and it changed our lives forever. These pics are exactly what actually shooting that show was like. I'm so proud of the amazing work #keeleyhawes and #matthewmacfadyen have gone on to produce, but I am most joyful about our eternal bond. Love them!!”

Matthew Macfayden played leading man Tom Quinn, with Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo playing junior case officers, Zoe Reynolds and Danny Hunter.

The original cast also included Peter Firth as Harry Pearce, Jenny Agutter as Tessa Phillips and Lisa Faulkner as Helen Flynn.

Lisa Faulkner’s character Helen was infamously killed off in a scene that sparked lots of complaints to the BBC. Helen was plunged into a deep fat fryer before being shot!

Keeley Hawes and Matthew Macfadyen attend the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Keeley Hawes and Matthew Macfadyen attend the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards (Image credit: Getty Images)

Not only are the Spooks cast still friends, Matthew Macfayden and Keeley Hawes are of course married and have two children together.

Matthew has had a busy week picking up the Best Supporting Actor award at The Emmys.

Spooks would go on for 10 series finally finishing in 2011. Other key stars to appear over the years included Richard Armitage, Gemma Jones, Nicola Walker and Rupert Penry Jones. In 2015 there was even a film version, Spooks: The Greater Good, that saw Peter Firth return as Harry Pearce.

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!