He's frequently been tipped as the next James Bond, and Tom Hiddleston certainly has been showing off all the action-hero attributes you’d want from a 007.
On set of the second series of The Night Manager, the actor was seen riding a motorcycle, aiming his pistol and working on his guns of a different sort with some impressive push-ups – all while looking effortlessly stylish.
The 43-year-old is filming the second series of the BBC spy thriller in Barcelona, where he was photographed doing his own motorbike stunts during a high-octane chase.
Hiddleston has been shooting the espionage drama since July, and was previously seen filming in Richmond-upon-Thames, London, with co-star Hugh Laurie, sparking speculation that his ruthless arms dealer character Dickie Roper may be making a comeback.
At the end of series one, based on the late John le Carre novel of the same name, viewers saw Roper being carted off by armed rivals, presumably to his death.
Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine, an ex-soldier turned hotel manager, who in the first season agreed to work for the British government and infiltrate the arms dealer’s inner circle.
While doing so he embarks on a steamy affair with Roper’s lover, played by the then unknown Elizabeth Debicki. The series catapulted the actress, now 34, to fame and she went on to play Princess Diana in Netflix drama The Crown.
The love interest in the new series, set eight years after the last, is played by 27-year-old Victoria’s Secret model Camila Morrone, a former girlfriend of Leonardo DiCaprio. And Olivia Colman returns as Pine’s handler Angela Burr.
Hiddleston won a Golden Globe for the 2016 series. Talking about how much he was looking forward to returning to the role, he said: ‘The first series was one of the most creatively fulfilling projects I have ever worked on. The depth, range and complexity of Jonathan Pine was, and remains, a thrilling prospect.’
Two new series have been commissioned. Series creator David Farr said: ‘John Le Carre’s work has long been an inspiration to me and working closely with him on season one was an honour.
‘I did not tread lightly into extending The Night Manager beyond the original book, but an idea came to me a couple of years ago which felt truthful to that unique world of dark corners and shady identities.
‘No one marries the suspense of espionage with a deep exploration of the human soul quite like Le Carre. I hope that in some way we can pay homage to his uneasy genius in this new exploration.’
The first series was watched by more than ten million viewers.
