IT won’t come as a surprise to fans of one of the best dramas on TV.
But the BBC has now officially confirmed that Spooks will return for an eighth series in 2009.
Filming begins in March.
Here’s this morning’s official release:
“Consistently hailed as a benchmark for modern drama, compelling spy series Spooks is to return next year the BBC announced today.
The hit drama from Kudos Film and Television has been recommissioned for an eighth series while it currently enjoys its most critically-acclaimed series ever.
This series witnessed the arrival of Robin Hood star Richard Armitage as Lucas North, the return of Hermione Norris as Ros Myers, the shattering discovery of Connie James as the MI5 mole and the shocking murder of Ben Kaplan by one of his own.
The highly topical series continues to secure strong ratings, regularly attracting over 5.7 million viewers on BBC One and BBC Three, and has received a deluge of positive feedback from both fans and the press.
Details of the new series are being kept under wraps until the current series has finished airing but Simon Crawford Collins, Executive Producer and Joint Managing Director at Kudos, promises there will be even more compelling storylines and high drama in series eight.
‘Spooks is currently enjoying an exceptional run on BBC One and BBC Three and viewers will be shocked when this series ends with a sting in its tale.
‘As for next year …we’re currently working with our fantastic team of writers to predict the big stories for 2009 to keep Spooks prescience in these dramatically changing times.’

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning, who commissioned the eighth series, continues: ‘I’m delighted Spooks is returning to BBC One and BBC Three next year.
‘Spooks continues to be a channel defining show, consistently pushing the boundaries of television drama while maintaining strong viewer loyalty and attracting critical acclaim. I can’t wait for series eight to burst onto our screens in 2009.’
Richard Armitage, who joined at the beginning of the current series, says: ‘I’m thrilled with the response we’ve had to this series and I can’t wait to find out what the next series has in store.
‘If the climatic episodes at the end of series seven are anything to go by, I think series eight will be spectacular. I am excited about taking Lucas into deeper and more dangerous territory, and seeing if he can survive!’
Hermione Norris, who is approaching her fourth series of Spooks as Ros Myers, adds: “Spooks is a fantastic show to be a part of and I’m delighted to be joining the team again next year.”
The final episode in the current BBC1 series in screened at 9pm next Monday.
It ends with quite a cliffhangher – that “sting in the tale” – with almost a year to wait until we find out what happens.

MI5’s Section D is in need of an urgent recruitment drive.
The latest series has seen the murders of both Adam (car bomb) and Ben (razor wire).
And the death toll could rise still further before the end credits roll next week.
It’s another cracking episode – do not miss.
Spooks Blogs