THE MAN WHO WOULD BE BOND

(Dominic Cooper & Ann O’Neill)

BBC Entertainment (channel 120 on DStv) will flight the four-episode series Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond from March 5 at 21h15.

London, 1939. Ian Fleming is an irresponsible playboy living in the shadow of his dead war hero father, his successful author brother and his domineering mother. Bound to a dismal desk job and generally seen as a disappointment, Ian nonetheless dreams of becoming the ‘ultimate’ man – a hero, a lover, a brute, the one who always gets the girl.

When the Second World War breaks out, Ian suddenly finds himself with a chance to shine – to prove his worth – with a job in Naval Intelligence. At first, Ian is inclined to treat his new job as a big adventure but as the shocking consequences and challenges of war become ever clearer to him, he begins to learn where his real talents lie – and what it takes to be a real man.

Through mind-blowing escapades at home and abroad, Ian risks his life. But will he ever dare to risk his heart? Packed with lust, romance, humour, jeopardy and explosive action – and set in Britain, France, Germany and Jamaica – this is the fascinating story of the man whose own life and adventures were the inspiration for one of the most iconic spies in modern literature – James Bond.

From the director of the BAFTA®-nominated Road to Guantanamo, Mat Whitecross, Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond stars Dominic Cooper (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) as Fleming. The series captures both the opulence of high society London and the suspense and intrigue behind enemy lines. Through mind-blowing escapades at home and abroad, Fleming risks his life. At the same time, the stakes increase as Fleming faces his own inner demons, battling to breakdown the walls within and open himself to love. His chance encounter with the captivating baroness, Ann O’Neill (Lara Pulver, Sherlock), becomes a passionate affair that shapes both their lives. While Bond fans will spot many a nod to the legendary agent, the series is ultimately a gripping account of a playboy spy and the woman who won his heart.