Netflix’s Black Doves was inspired by a “horrific” true story

Helen in the Black Doves endingNetflix

Spy Helen Webb has the power to tear down Britain’s government from the inside. But is Black Doves‘ true story factually accurate?

After thrillers like Baby Reindeer and 3 Body Problem, it was going to be tough for Netflix to beat its own game. They arguably have with Black Doves, a binge-worthy TV show following a covert group of spies selling secrets to the highest bidder.

Keira Knightley stars as Helen, who’s perfectly slotted into UK politics. She’s en route to No. 10 Downing Street, with help from triggerman Sam (Ben Whishaw) and the enigmatic Reed (Sarah Lancashire).

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Black Doves’ ending wrapped up the mystery of the Chinese ambassador’s murder, but there are still questions left to be answered. As we wait for Season 2, are Black Doves even real anyway?

Are the Black Doves real?

Technically, no. There’s no real organization known as the Black Doves, but elements of the series are inspired by true stories.

Helen and Sam in Black DovesNetflix

It’s worth remembering something here – spy groups linked to MI5 don’t really exist (much like James Bond).

Instead, the spies we see on screen are exactly that: fictional. There is no M-like woman supplying assets and gadgets (as brilliant as Sarah Lancashire is), there are no hits being ordered in the back of a Soho pub, and you definitely won’t overhear international espionage secrets in your local Barnes & Noble.

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Creator Joe Barton explained to Radio Times, “I had been reading as well about those spy cops, those guys, and they infiltrated that environmental group and had ended up having children with it. I mean, a really horrific story, much darker than this.

“But I was like, OK, that idea, that duplicitousness of having a pretend marriage lasting years and years and years, and then it’s disappeared. That was really part of, I think, the inspiration for it as well.”

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Britain’s spy cops scandal was much “darker”

Black Doves loosely takes inspiration from the 2010 ‘spy cop scandal,’ where it was disclosed in UK media that a number of police officers had entered into romantic and intimate relationships under a “false persona.”

Mrs. Reed and Sam in Black DovesNetflix

As you’ll know if you’ve watched the new TV show, a key detail of the main plot is Helen’s identity. Her real name is Daisy, having been hired by Reed after failing an interview for a translator job. She’s given the identity of Helen Webb, giving the Black Doves information from the British government through politician husband Wallace.

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At no point in the series does Wallace learn Helen’s real identity, which is our link to the spy cops scandal.

While not being spies, a faction of at least 139 police officers was sent undercover in over 1,000 political groups, assuming false identities. Their operation was so secret that even senior UK officers didn’t know. Aside from themselves, their fake identities were taken as the truth by everyone – including their spouses and partners.

This is where our expose comes into play. In 2014, it was announced there would be a public inquiry into what happened, with both former and current partners unaware of what happened until it was reported in the press.

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Undercover activity was traced back to 1968, targeting movements including ongoing climate activism and the 1993 Stephen Lawrence case.

Officer deployments typically lasted between 4-5 years, which prompted them to form friendships and sometimes romances with targets. While many lived alongside who they were spying on, only one case involved an undercover officer having a child with an unaware partner.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May branded the inquiry “deeply shocking and disturbing.” The inquiry officially concluded in 2023, though those involved remained doubtful about how many false identities were actually uncovered.

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Black Doves is on Netflix now. Check out more upcoming shows like Virgin River Season 6, Squid Game Season 2, and Wednesday Season 2. Or, why not try their true crime and documentaries?

You can also catch up with more TV shows streaming this month and the best TV shows of the year.