BBC to air Phoebe Waller-Bridge's US thriller Killing Eve

The eight-part drama – written by the creator of BBC3's Fleabag – is produced by BBC America and stars Grey's Anatomy actress Sandra Oh alongside Jodie Comer (Doctor Foster, The White Princess).

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The series – based on the Villanelle novellas by Luke Jennings – sees Oh play Eve, a bored MI5 security officer "whose desk job does not fulfil her fantasies of being a spy". Comer is Villanelle, "a fearsome assassin clinging to the luxuries her violent job affords her."

The two cross paths when Eve is instructed to track down Villanelle before she can strike again, launching both women into a cat-and-mouse game that promises to "turn the traditional spy thriller on its head".

Killing Eve is due to premiere in a primetime slot on BBC1 before BBC3 makes the entire series available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer.

Oh and Comer are joined by Fiona Shaw (Harry Potter) as Carolyn Martens, David Haig (Four Weddings and a Funeral) as Eve's colleague Bill, Kim Bodnia (The Bridge) as Konstantin, Darren Boyd (Fortitude) as Frank Haleton, Sean Delaney (Midsomer Murders) as Kenny Stowton, Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Downward Dog) as Elena Felton and Owen McDonnell (Paula) as Niko.

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BBC3 is where both Waller-Bridge and Comer made their names, with the former's series Fleabag earning critical acclaim both sides of the Atlantic and launching her international career. Comer, meanwhile, starred in Thirteen – the first original drama to air on BBC3 after its move online.

"I'm delighted that BBC3 will partner with BBC1 to bring audiences Killing Eve," said BBC3 controller Damian Kavanagh. "It is one of the most exciting series of recent times and not only do we get to work with Phoebe again, who is a fantastic writer with a unique voice, the brilliant Jodie Comer will be back on BBC3 after her star turn in Thirteen."