Sean Bean has earned his action-packed accolades – the Yorkshire actor sure knows how to wow in a suspenseful nail-biter; he even played James Bond villain Alec Trevelyan in the 1995 film, GoldenEye. But, Cleanskin is his terrific lesser-known drama – perfect for every spy thriller fan. Switching sides from his Bond days, Sean plays the role of an undercover secret service agent who must stop wily terrorists – think Slow Horses meets The Night Manager.
But, as with our favourite British espionage series, there’s deceit, betrayal and a whole lot of action. Covering as a bodyguard for a prolific arms dealer, he finds himself in a nail-biting race after a bag of explosives they’re transporting gets stolen by killers plotting fatal attacks across London. Will Sean be able to catch them before it’s too late? And will he identify the infiltrator within his own ranks?
With the drama recently dropping on Netflix, here’s everything you need to know about Cleanskin, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Cleanskin about?
The spy thriller, which first aired in 2012, introduces us to former soldier Ewan (Sean Bean), who now works for the secret service undercover as a bodyguard to arms dealer Harry (Sam Douglas). When the pair transport a briefcase of explosives, they’re intersected by two terrorists, Ash (Abhin Galeya) and Ibrahim (Mens-Sana Tamakloe) – but not without a failed dramatic shootout.
Using the stolen explosives, Ash makes a bomb and carries out a deadly attack in a restaurant. Meanwhile, Ewan is tasked by his superiors Charlotte (Charlotte Rampling) and Scott (James Fox) to put a stop to the terror – and as if that wasn’t testing enough, it’s an off-the-books assignment and joining him is a rookie assistant, Mark (Tom Burke).
What unfurls is an action-packed cat-and-mouse chase, weaving in interesting flashbacks of Ash’s past lover Kate (Tuppence Middleton) and how he came to become radicalised by Islamic State ideology. But will Sean be able to stop yet another killing tirade, this time at a wedding? As with all good espionage dramas, there’s backstabbing, double-crossing and one jaw-dropping final twist that will leave your heart in your mouth…
Who’s in the cast of Cleanskin?
The cast of Cleanskin includes:
• Sean Bean (This City Is Ours) as Ewan
• Sam Douglas (Snatch) as Harry
• Abhin Galeya (Say Nothing) as Ash
• Mens-Sana Tamakloe (Damsel) as Ibrahim
• Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Swimming Pool) as Charlotte
• James Fox (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory) as Scott
• Tom Burke (The Musketeers) as Mark
• Tuppence Middleton (The Forsytes) as Kate
Is Cleanskin any good?
Yes – as we mentioned, if you’re a fan of British spy masterpieces such as The Night Manager and Slow Horses, you’re going to fasten your belt for Sean Bean’s thrilling rollercoaster ride. Cleanskin has our favourite elements of these series: secret service subterfuge, a pacy plot and an irrefutably British plot. What’s more, it’s even more thrilling since it’s a feature-length film – it’s a pacier watch and you can fit it into one evening!
How can I watch Cleanskin?
You can watch Cleanskin now on Netflix.
What other spy dramas can I watch now?
If you’re in the mood for another thrilling spy drama but set across the pond, we’d point you towards the dark comedy Patriot, which first aired in 2015. The drama revolves around unlikely intelligence officer and Iraq war veteran John Tavner (Michael Dorman), who is forced to return home from his stationing in Amsterdam to infiltrate a Midwestern piping company to try to stop Iran’s nuclear efforts. You can watch all episodes of Patriot now on Prime Video. If you fancy something darker, we’d suggest Spies Of Terror. The thriller follows police intelligence and agents in the aftermath of the November 2015 Paris attacks as one of the biggest manhunts across Europe unfolds. All episodes of Spies Of Terror are available to watch now on ITVX.
