Speaking live on BBC One’s Breakfast show this morning, Jane Featherstone revealed: “…this year, I thought ‘it’s a great series, we bring Harry and Ruth’s relationship to a head’. And for the fans out there, they’ll know their relationship is central to the show now. And that comes to a conclusion. So it just felt like now is the right time to do it. I just don’t want it to get tired and old. You want it to go out with… happy.”

She added: “It does go out with a fantastic bang. Ruth and Harry’s conclusion is sensational and there are some surprises for the loyal fans.”

Lead writer Sam Vincent yesterday commented: “It’s sad of course, but absolutely the right decision to have a proper end.”

Set to begin on BBC One next month, the spy drama’s final series will feature new cast members Lara Pulver (True Blood), Geoffrey Streatfeild (Ashes To Ashes), Alice Krige (Deadwood) and Jonathan Hyde (Titanic), alongside returning characters Harry (Peter Firth), Ruth (Nicola Walker), Dimitri (Max Brown) and Tariq (Shazad Latif).

> Buy the Series 9 boxset on Amazon.

Watch the BBC’s recent ‘Original British Drama’ trailer, featuring footage from Series 10…