Check out Ben Whishaw as a gay spy in a trailer for a new drama

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A new trailer has been released ahead of the premier of a new BBC drama starring Ben Whishaw as a gay spy.

Whishaw plays Danny in the drama series ā€˜London Spyā€™, described as ā€œbeautifully writtenā€, by a BBC drama commissioner.

Written by gay writer Tom Rob Smith, and will follow Whishawā€™s character, who is described as ā€œa gregarious, hedonistic, but ill-equipped spyā€.

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Danny falls in love with Alex, described as ā€œanti-social and enigmatic,ā€ but who later goes missing forcing Danny to attempt to find him.

The BBC says: ā€œLondon Spy is the story of a chance romance between two people from very different worlds, one from the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service, the other from a world of clubbing and youthful excess.

ā€œWhishaw plays Danny ā€“ gregarious, hedonistic, romantic and adrift, who falls for the anti-social enigmatic and brilliant Alex (played by [Edward] Holcroft). Just as the two of them realise that theyā€™re perfect for each other, Alex is found dead. Danny, utterly ill-equipped to take on the complex and codified world of British espionage, must decide whether heā€™s prepared to fight for the truth.ā€

On the casting announcement, Smith said: ā€œBen Whishaw is quite simply one of the best actors in the country. Itā€™s an extraordinary privilege, as a writer, to have him play the lead.ā€

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Whishaw earlier this month said he is ā€˜baffledā€™ about a debate over actors revealing their sexuality.

The actor ā€“ who has a high-profile role as Q in the James Bond films ā€“ spoke after Matt Damon sparked a debate on the issue.

Damon had suggested that Rupert Everett was less able to get successful straight roles after he came out ā€“ but later clarified he did not mean actors should stay in the closet:

Speaking at a screening of his new drama London Spy, out actor Ben Whishaw did not seem enthused by the row.

Watch the trailer below: