06/10/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/10/2025 03:35
BBC Radio 4's award-winning inside story of the CIA returns on 20th June with a gripping second season, taking listeners into the heart of the tumultuous 1960s- giving them an insider's view of covert operations, political upheaval, and shifting global power.
Told through the eyes of CIA operative Eloise Page (Kim Cattrall), who joined on the CIA's first day in 1947 and rose through the ranks to become one of its most powerful women, Central Intelligence explores the pivotal moments that shaped the world as we know it today - from the escalating Cold War and the Bay of Pigs disaster to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. With a stellar cast and immersive storytelling, this new series offers a look inside one of the most influential organizations in history.
Central Intelligence is part of the BBC's Limelight strand of unmissable drama serials. The new series begins on BBC Radio 4 at 2.15pm on Friday 20 June, and will also be available on BBC Sounds (with the first series available to catch up now). It is a Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4.
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Ahead of the launch of the much-anticipated second series, we caught up with new and returning cast members to ask them what listeners can expect...
Interview with Stephen Kunken
Your character, Ed Lansdale, is described in the series as 'the CIA's maverick lone-wolf super-hero' - he's a man whose status becomes legendary. How would you describe him, and how do you think Ed sees himself?
Ed Lansdale's rise in the CIA was marked by a fertile, creative, and often "right-brained mind" working in a divergently rogue manner. This unique approach to intelligence made him far less reliant and predictable than brute-force militarism. Ed was formerly an ad man and he brought those creative inclinations with him to intelligence work.
What motivates him?
Lansdale was a Cold War shadow operator who believed wars were won through influence, perception, and persuasion - not firepower. He wasn't drawn to traditional combat; he cared more about the psychology of conflict. He thrived on understanding people, shaping narratives, and finding creative ways to steer events behind the scenes. To understand Ed is to see someone who treated geopolitics like a game of human chess.
What drew you to the role?
I love playing characters on the fringes. One of the great privileges of being an actor is getting to step into characters from the past to understand our present and future. If artists were to step into the Office of Strategic Services and Intelligence…I imagine we'd function with the same out-of-the-box energy as Ed.
Ed finds himself living through a particularly tumultuous period of history - what relevance do you think this story has to the times we live in today?
We live in a time where truth is remarkably malleable and intelligence work is more potent than ever. Influence and ideas are as powerful as weapons, and keeping our interests safe without losing our humanity requires empathy, improvisation, and bravery. At its core, the story of operators like Landsdale reminds us that ordinary people, armed with ingenuity and conviction, can shape the fate of nations.
Interview with Jon Jon Briones
Jon Jon joins the cast this series, playing Ngô Đình Diệm, the unpopular new CIA-backed leader of South Vietnam.
Can you tell us more about Ngô Đình Diệm and what motivates him?
Ngô Dinh Diêm was unpopular because he was against communism, but at the same time supported decolonization, which upset both his enemies and his allies. He's very ambitious, very driven and he loves power. He gets what he wants by placing family members in high positions.
The series shows the CIA backing Diệm to get him into power. What's his relationship like with these CIA operatives?
His relationship with these CIA operatives is very fragile. They don't trust him and Diêm definitely doesn't trust westerners. He cooperates because he wants something from them.
How did you feel when you first read the scripts, and what was it like bringing them to life?
I was intrigued by the story. I've been involved in the musical Miss Saigon for quite some time, which tells the story of regular citizens of Saigon before the fall of the city. It was interesting to play a character who was in power during that time.
How did you research the role?
Thank God for Wikipedia! I found a lot of information on Diêm from his early life up to his assassination which informed me tremendously.
What was the process of recording like?
A lot of work, but fun! I have a good idea of my character and how I want to play him in every scene but at the end of the day the director is the ultimate storyteller. He would know how much is at stake in every page. So I would give the director different ways of saying the lines and it would be up to him to match it with the other character's take. I enjoyed it very much.
Interview with Geoffrey Arend
Geoffrey returns this series, playing Frank Wisner, Eloise's fellow CIA agent.
Where do we find your character, Frank Wisner, at the start of this series?
Frank is not in a great place in the second season. He hasn't come to terms with his professional failures thus far and in a lot of ways he begins this season at the bottom of a hole that he continuously digs deeper into.
How has Frank changed since season one - is there anything he's learned?
Frank hasn't learned much! He's doubling down on his worse tendencies and is losing trust in the people around him. The world is changing and he can't seem to catch up.
This series we've introduced to a whole host of new characters - can you tell us about the changing dynamics within the CIA and where Frank fits in?
I think in a lot of ways that the agency is maturing and Frank isn't. The second season is when we start to get into the changing landscape of geopolitics and the definitions of "good guys" and "bad guys" get more convoluted. It's quite possibly the worst place for a guy like Frank to be in.
What was it like putting yourself into Frank's shoes - did you find him a relatable character?
Frank is an incredible character. There is so much going on and the war inside of himself is incredibly interesting to me as an actor. He's a good guy that ends up doing horrible things and trying to reconcile that is fascinating and at times, exhausting. I think most of us go through life with good intentions for those around us. Frank is a warrior and a protector and will do anything to save the people and country he loves. His intense focus on these priorities ultimately destroys him.
What were the highlights of recording - any favourite scenes?
My favorite sequence is also the most shocking. Frank gets it in his head to make a movie and go to Hollywood. What happens in the process is hilarious and upsetting. That's all I'll say!
Interview with Rob Benedict
Rob plays the US Ambassador, General Collins, and JFK's Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara.
Can you tell us a bit about Robert McNamara and his relationship with JFK?
McNamara was a genius when it came to national security, foreign policy, and the chess match of war. He and JFK had a great working relationship - from everything I can tell he was quite close with the President and felt confident to give his honest opinion, even when it wasn't a popular one. Kennedy trusted him as a worthy advisor.
You also play General Collins, who is trying to halt the CIA's plan in Vietnam - can you tell us more about him?
General Collins was a hero in WWII but when it came to negotiating with the regime in Vietnam, his techniques were a bit old school. He had a problem particularly with Diem, and his moral reasoning and devotion to his inner circle. He saw Diem's ways as weak and welcoming a communist takeover.
What do these two characters have in common?
Collins and McNamara are both old school "war men" - exceptionally smart and brilliant negotiators. They both saw the board clearly and what needed to be done to achieve what they saw as best for America. They were hard-nosed and to the point. At the same time, they were up against the tangled web of the US bureaucratic system, and dealing with that proved at times to be their Achilles heel, especially for Collins.
What drew you to both these roles?
I like playing flawed but ultimately good men who are powered by a passion and an immense talent and belief in something great. More than anything, I was drawn to this script. I think this is such a special project and I am proud to have been a part of both series. It was an honor voicing these two heroes.
Interview with Armand Schultz
Armand plays new US President, John F Kennedy.
We meet your character, JFK, at a pivotal point in his life: the moment he's about to become President. What do you think he was feeling in that moment?
I feel that he was very optimistic about his ideas for his domestic agenda and also wanted to project to other world leaders that he was a formidable opponent or friend, whichever was needed. I don't think that he was afraid of his new position, as he was a naval commander and knew what it took to be a competent leader.
How did you research the role?
I have listened to JFK's speeches throughout my life and I knew that there were recordings at The Library of Congress where you could listen to interviews, press conferences and Congressional speeches to get a sense not only of his humour and intelligence, but also of his preparation for these activities. Through other projects that I have worked on I have been well versed in the world events of the early 60's.
Has playing JFK changed the way you see this period of history?
I think the largest revelation to me in playing JFK was his very thoughtful dissection of the Vietnam War and that he was setting a date to get the U.S. out of that conflict. Had he not been assassinated, our country would be a very different place today as would the world, I believe. The decisions that he made after the death of his young son shine a light on the immense pressures that the Presidency places upon a man, who is also just a father and a husband.
Interview with Greg Haddrick
Greg wrote and co-created the series.
This series takes listeners on a journey from the 1950s to the 1960s. How would you characterise the shift between those decades?
By the 1950s, the pre-WW2 era of a globe dominated by European colonialism was being dismantled, and the world was heading into the American-led liberal world order, although the Cold War with a highly militarised Russia overshadowed much of America's confidence. But while the 1960s continued America's new enthusiasm to 'look outwards' and export democracy and global peace - and continued the battle with Russia - there was a changing of the guard and a change of mood. The leadership (John F Kennedy) and senior cabinet figures (Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, Bobby Kennedy) started bringing less ideology and more moral strength to the idea of America they were promoting around the world.
In the new series, you take listeners inside some of the biggest moments from those decades - such as the Suez crisis and the Bay of Pigs invasion - how did you decide which moments to focus on?
The intention is to focus on events that best illustrate America's lasting impact on the world outside, and how seemingly minor people or moments within those events can loom large later on. Part of the selection is also driven by highlighting events that affected or changed the thinking and/or career relationships of our core characters - or whose career or personal situation at the time affected a world event.
You tell the story from the perspective of narrator Eloise Page, one of the CIA's most influential women. Why did you choose to tell the story this way?
I needed someone who been inside the CIA from day one, but who was not part of the "male, pale and Yale" clique who dominated the early decades of the organisation. I wanted an "insider" who was an "outsider", but also a trailblazer; an agent who rose as far as she could in the Agency and who stayed with it for the longest time possible. She also represented the growth in status that women in the workforce slowly earned over her career, and in some important ways that was because of her career.
Why did you want to tell this story through audio rather than visually?
The big narrative shifts in time and place are more easily manageable in audio. Only audio can suggest a global canvas and deftly prompt people to imagine locations all over the world with an ease that quickly relaxes context and allows them to follow the people and the story. Also, narration is natural and organic to audio - it functions differently from screen narration. The warmth and comfort of Eloise's narration sounds and feels like it is talking to you - not an audience. In that sense, through audio the story emerges as a more immediate experience.