It's been a couple of years since we've had a new Judi Dench movie to enjoy, so we've got just the movie for you tonight if you want to see her in action.
Red Joan sees Dench play Joan Stanley, who is living in contented retirement in 2000 when her life is suddenly disrupted and she's arrested by MI5, accused of providing intelligence to Communist Russia.
The spy thriller cuts between 2000 and 1938 when Joan (played by Sophie Cookson) was a Cambridge physicist who fell for young communist Leo Galich (Tom Hughes), which ultimately leads to a choice between betraying her country and loved ones or saving them.
If you fancy the sound of that (or have seen it already and want a rewatch), Red Joan airs tonight at 11.05pm on BBC Two.
We get that might be a bit late for a movie viewing, even on a Friday night, but don't worry as Red Joan will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer following its broadcast, meaning you could watch it this weekend instead.
Related: Dame Judi Dench shares concerns in latest health update
What to Read Next
If you can't wait to watch Red Joan, it's also available to watch right now on Prime Video.
Red Joan was based on the novel of the same name by Jennie Rooney, which, in turn, was inspired by the life of Melita Norwood.
Norwood supplied the Soviet Union with nuclear secrets in the 1930s while she was working as a secretary at the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association.
The spy thriller also stars Stephen Campbell Moore, Ben Miles, Nina Sosanya, Tereza Srbova and Laurence Spellman. It was directed by Trevor Nunn from a screenplay by Lindsay Shapero.
Related: BBC announces new '80s-set spy thriller
Earlier this year, Dench revealed she now often worries about attending events due to her deteriorating eyesight. "Somebody will always be with me," she explained.
"I have to now because I can’t see, and I will walk into something or fall over. I'm always nervous before going to something. I have no idea why… I'm not good at being on my own at all, nor would I be now."
Red Joan airs tonight at 11.05pm on BBC Two, and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.

















