U.K. network BBC and German broadcaster ZDF have teamed up to order darkly comedic Cold War thriller “Honey,” described as “tender and flirty, slick and dangerous,” from Sally Woodward Gentle’s Sid Gentle Films, best known for “Killing Eve.” Fifth Season is handling global distribution.
The six-part series, which goes undercover in 1980s East Berlin to explore a shadowy world of counter espionage and risky but irresistible relations, is written by Emma Moran. Moran is the writer of Disney+ comedy series “Extraordinary,” nominated for three BAFTAs, and Netflix’s drama “How to Kill Your Family,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy, and inspired by Bella Mackie’s 2021 novel.
“Honey,” set in East Berlin in 1982, centers on Marta, 24, a deep cover agent for MI6. Surrounded by enemies and constantly under threat of her cover being blown, she tries her hardest to avoid detection by Friedrich Bauman, the new head of counter espionage for the Stasi. Finding herself caught between Friedrich and the reckless, arrogant (and incredibly attractive…) CIA operative Aaron Neeland, she is blind-sided by desire in this Cold War menage-a-trois.
Moran said: “I’m excited to dig into the sexy madness of our version of Cold War East Berlin. Romantic comedy plus espionage is a dream combination for me.”
Woodward Gentle said: “Set against the stark brutalism of East Germany, the characters and storylines in ‘Honey’ are smart, violent and highly sexually charged. Emma’s scripts are characteristically take-no-prisoners witty, sophisticated and pacy while quietly and desperately romantic.”
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said: “ ‘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.”
Arvand Khosravi, senior VP, scripted television strategy at Fifth Season, described “Honey” as “ground-breaking” and “elevated,” and said the company was “already seeing strong international interest in the title.”
Moran is the lead writer and executive producer. Emme Hoy (“Renegade Nell”) is also a writer on the series. It is executive produced by Woodward Gentle and Lee Morris for Sid Gentle Films. The producer is Christopher Hall.
“Honey” was commissioned by Salt for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, and Frank Seyberth, head of coproduction, international fiction, for ZDF.
