BBC Drama Honey: Premiere Weekend Launches Six-Part Cold War Thriller | 15 November 2026

Updated: 15 November 2026, 1:16 a.m. GMT (UTC+00:00).

Honey has begun its UK release: the six-part Cold War drama launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday, 14 November. BBC One opened with two episodes, scheduled for 9 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. GMT, making the premiere a double bill rather than a single-episode introduction. The series is set in East Berlin in 1982 and follows an MI6 agent whose undercover assignment draws her into a volatile triangle involving a CIA operative and a Stasi officer. Production company Sid Gentle Films confirms the six-episode format and BBC launch; the opening-night times were reported by ELLE UK’s episode schedule.

That rollout gives viewers two chapters to meet the characters and understand the series’ mix of espionage, danger and dark comedy. The next episode is scheduled for Saturday, 21 November. Later Saturday dates have been listed, but their exact BBC One times were still marked as unconfirmed in the available schedule at the time of this update.

Destaques

• Honey launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 14 November 2026.
• The six-part series opened on BBC One with episodes at 9 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. GMT.
• Ann Skelly plays undercover MI6 agent Martha Schmitt in 1982 East Berlin.
• Episode three is scheduled for 21 November; later broadcast times should be checked against BBC listings.

When did BBC drama Honey premiere?

The UK premiere took place on Saturday, 14 November 2026. BBC One’s opening-night schedule paired the first two episodes, at 9 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. GMT. The reported times are UK broadcast times; GMT is UTC+00:00 on that November date. Viewers can also find the series on BBC iPlayer, according to the production company’s launch announcement.

For anyone catching up after the first broadcast, the double bill offers a quick route into the story. The six episodes are each approximately 45 minutes, according to the programme information reported in the current episode guide. The series is made by Sid Gentle Films for the BBC and ZDF, with international distribution handled by Fifth Season. The production company’s official series information identifies Emma Moran as lead writer and executive producer.

What is Honey about?

The story is set in East Berlin in 1982. Martha Schmitt, pronounced Marta, is a 24-year-old deep-cover MI6 agent working behind the Iron Curtain. She is tasked with staying ahead of Friedrich, the Stasi’s new head of counter-espionage against British targets in Berlin. Her operation becomes more complicated when she is drawn toward CIA operative Aaron Neeland, who is using the identity Kurt Fischer.

The setup puts the pressure of intelligence work beside personal risk. Martha’s cover can be exposed, and her relationships complicate the choices she must make. Sid Gentle describes the series as a darkly comic Cold War thriller, with desire and vulnerability entangled in its espionage plot. That tone is the key distinction to watch for: the premise promises tradecraft and surveillance, while the character dynamics bring a romantic and comic edge.

Who stars in the new BBC series?

Ann Skelly leads as Martha Schmitt. Nate Mann plays Aaron Neeland, alias Kurt Fischer; Jannis Niewöhner plays Friedrich; and Rory Kinnear appears as Graham Anderson, Martha’s handler. The wider cast includes Sofia Oxenham. For more on the ensemble, see the production company’s cast and series announcement.

Honey also connects to the world of Killing Eve: Martha is presented as a younger version of Carolyn Martens, the MI6 officer played by Fiona Shaw in that series. The connection gives returning viewers a point of recognition, while the 1982 setting and new central mission establish a story that can be followed on its own. The series’ focus here is Martha’s early career and the choices that shape her work, rather than a continuation of the later events of Killing Eve.

When are the next Honey episodes on BBC One?

The currently reported schedule places episode three on Saturday, 21 November 2026, at 9:15 p.m. GMT on BBC One. Episodes four, five and six are listed for 28 November, 5 December and 12 December respectively, but their exact BBC One start times were not confirmed in the schedule available for this update. BBC iPlayer availability may be listed separately from the linear broadcast, so viewers should check the service’s programme page for the latest episode availability.

This weekly pattern means the opening two episodes arrive together, followed by one episode each Saturday. It gives the first night room to establish the operation and its central relationships, then leaves later instalments to develop the consequences. Treat the later dates as a guide until the BBC’s listings confirm times; schedules can change.

What should viewers expect from Honey?

Expect a period spy drama driven as much by character tension as by intelligence work. The East Berlin setting places Martha under surveillance and makes trust a practical risk, while the triangle around Friedrich and Kurt pulls her assignment into personal territory. The darkly comic description suggests the show will temper its Cold War danger with a sharper, less solemn tone.

What happens beyond the announced premise remains for the episodes to reveal. The confirmed facts are the six-part length, the setting, the central characters and the initial broadcast schedule. Whether Martha can balance her cover with her growing attachments—and what those decisions mean for the mission—is the dramatic question the series sets up, not an outcome that should be assumed in advance.

FAQ

Is Honey available on BBC iPlayer?

Yes. The series launched on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on 14 November 2026.

How many episodes are in Honey?

There are six episodes, each approximately 45 minutes long.

When is the next episode?

Episode three is scheduled for Saturday, 21 November 2026. Check BBC listings for the confirmed broadcast time.