Hugh Laurie cast in BBC’s new John le Carré spy drama series

The 66-year-old was born in the city and grew up in Blackbird Leys before going on to star in projects such as Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder and The Night Manager.

He is perhaps best known globally for his role as the titular character in House, which ran for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012.

Another one of Mr Laurie’s biggest hits was the spy thriller, The Night Manager, which was released in 2016 and saw him play off against Tom Hiddleston’s Jonathan Pine.

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The six-episode series saw the 66-year-old win a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his villainous part as Richard Roper.

He reprised the role in a shock return during the long-awaited second series, which was released earlier this year.

Now, it has been confirmed that Mr Laurie will be joining the cast of a new BBC spy drama, Legacy of Spies.

Filming is understood to be underway, with Mr Laurie’s exact character being kept under wraps for now and expected to be revealed in due course.

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Producers are positioning Legacy of Spies as one of the most ambitious le Carré projects in years, with backing from both the BBC and US streamer MGM+.

BBC’s new drama draws on the classic 1963 novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and the 2017 book A Legacy of Spies.

In Legacy of Spies, he will join a heavyweight ensemble led by Matthew Macfadyen, who is taking on the iconic role of master spymaster George Smiley.

The cast also features Dan Stevens, Felix Kammerer and Agnes O’Casey.