The BBC has officially revealed the main cast for Honey, the highly-anticipated spy thriller that serves as a prequel to the global hit series Killing Eve. While the network has not directly confirmed the connection to the original show, multiple sources and casting details confirm that this new drama will tell the origin story of one of Killing Eve’s most beloved characters. Filming is already underway for the six-part series, which is set to air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK .
Ann Skelly Leads the Cast as a Young Carolyn Martens
Irish actor Ann Skelly takes on the lead role in Honey, playing Martha Schmitt. According to multiple entertainment news outlets, Martha is actually a younger version of Carolyn Martens, the sharp and mysterious MI6 officer played by Fiona Shaw in the original Killing Eve series . Skelly is known for her work in House of Guinness, The Nevers, and Vikings, bringing solid credentials to this career-defining role .
In the original series, Carolyn Martens became a fan favorite for her cold intelligence, political maneuvering, and unpredictable nature. Fiona Shaw won a BAFTA for her performance, setting high expectations for any actor stepping into the character’s younger shoes . Skelly now faces the challenge of showing audiences how Carolyn became the person viewers loved to watch.
The series takes place in 1982 in East Berlin, during the height of the Cold War. Martha is a deep-cover agent for MI6, surrounded by enemies and constantly at risk of having her identity exposed . The official logline describes her situation as extremely dangerous, with the threat of being caught or killed always present.
Full Main Cast Revealed for the Spy Thriller
Alongside Ann Skelly, the BBC has assembled an impressive international cast for Honey. Nate Mann joins as Kurt Fischer, described as a reckless and arrogant CIA operative who goes by the name Aaron Neeland . Mann previously appeared in Masters of the Air and Licorice Pizza.
German actor Jannis Niewöhner plays Friedrich Bauman, the new Head of Counter Espionage for the Stasi in East Berlin. His job is to find and eliminate spies like Martha, creating intense professional conflict . Niewöhner has starred in Munich: The Edge of War and Napoleon.
Veteran actor Rory Kinnear rounds out the main cast as Graham Anderson. Kinnear is widely recognized from The Diplomat and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power . His role in the series adds significant dramatic weight to the project.
The supporting cast includes many talented actors:
- Oliver Cudbill as Stefan Weiss
- Sonita Henry as Anne Anderson
- Victoria Mayer as Ingrid Schimmel
- Valentino Dalle Mura as Rolf Muller
- July Namir as Kamilla Akhmedova
- Julian Niedermeier as Otto Kowalski
- Sofia Oxenham as Greta Abstreiter
- Daniel Zielinski as Tomas Klein
The Carolyn Martens Connection Explained
The link between Honey and Killing Eve has been the subject of much speculation since the project was first announced in early 2025. While the BBC has not officially stated that Honey is a prequel, the evidence has become impossible to ignore .
The production company behind Honey is Sid Gentle Films, the same company that produced all four seasons of Killing Eve . The lead character’s name, Martha Schmitt, is clearly a cover identity for a young Carolyn Martens. In the original series, viewers briefly saw a younger Carolyn played by Imogen Daines in flashback scenes, but Honey will explore her early years in much greater detail .
Writer Emma Moran, who created the Hulu superhero comedy series Extraordinary, is writing the scripts for Honey. Her writing style has been compared to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who developed the first season of Killing Eve . This creative choice suggests the prequel will maintain the sharp dialogue and dark humor that made the original so popular.
What the Series Is About
Honey follows Martha Schmitt, a 24-year-old MI6 agent working under deep cover in hostile territory . She must navigate a world where one mistake means death or imprisonment. Her main adversary is Friedrich Bauman, who leads efforts to capture British spies in East Berlin.
Things become more complicated when Martha finds herself caught between Friedrich and the charming but dangerous CIA operative Kurt Fischer. The official synopsis describes this as a “Cold War menage-a-trois,” where falling in love becomes more terrifying than physical danger . The show promises to explore how personal desires can threaten professional duties in the espionage world.
Executive Producer Sally Woodward Gentle expressed excitement about the cast, saying:
“Everyone says that they couldn’t be more excited by the cast they have assembled but Ann, Nate and Jannis are the real deal. We are beyond thrilled by their inherent talent, intelligence and intuitive brilliance. They shine. And Rory Kinnear! I am in love.”
Production Details and Creative Team
Honey is a co-production between the BBC and German broadcaster ZDF, ensuring authentic representation of the East German setting . The series consists of six episodes, with direction split between Toby MacDonald (episodes 1-3) and Michelle Savill (episodes 4-6) .
Emma Moran serves as lead writer and executive producer, with Emme Hoy also contributing to the writing. The production team includes Sally Woodward Gentle and Lee Morris as executive producers, with Christopher Hall serving as producer . Fifth Season will handle global distribution for the series .
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, commented on the project:
“Honey is a smart, playful and irresistible tale of an MI6 agent drawn into a deadly and dysfunctional love triangle. Set against the backdrop of Berlin in the early 80s, this brilliant new series from Emma and the team at Sid Gentle Films Ltd subverts genre conventions in the best possible way and we’re very proud to have it on the BBC.”
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What This Means for Killing Eve Fans
For viewers who followed Eve Polastri and Villanelle through four seasons of cat-and-mouse games, Honey offers a chance to return to the world of intelligent spycraft and complex characters. However, this prequel takes a different approach by focusing on Cold War espionage rather than the obsessive relationship between an assassin and the agent hunting her.
The series will explore how Carolyn Martens developed the skills and mindset that made her such a formidable presence in Killing Eve. Fans can expect political intrigue, moral complexity, and the stylish presentation that defined the original show.
No release date has been announced yet, but with filming now underway, Honey is expected to arrive on BBC iPlayer and BBC One sometime in late 2026 or early 2027 . The series will also be available through international distributors, making it accessible to global audiences who want to see how the Killing Eve story truly began.
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