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First look at Dame Judi Dench as Soviet spy in Cold War drama Red Joan

Dame Judi Dench in Red Joan
Dame Judi Dench in Red Joan

What would 007 say? This is the first picture of Dame Judi Dench's latest role playing a spy on the opposite side in the Cold War to James Bond.

The Oscar winner plays the title character in Red Joan inspired by the true story of Melita Norwood who was unmasked as a KGB agent in 1999 at the age of 87.

Norwood - a committed communist dubbed The Spy who came in from the Co-op after her favoured supermarket - was a retired great-grandmother living in Bexleyheath when it was revealed she had passed nuclear secrets to the Soviets for 40 years.

The film, which also stars Sophie Cookson as the young Joan, is based on the novel of the same name.

It is directed by Trevor Nunn and traces how an idealistic young woman became convinced she had to betray her own country.