Strike Back series 1 career page
Strike Back series 2 career page
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Series 2 Articles in the Press
28 Aug 2011 Sunday Express ‘Agents in Fighting Form’
22 Aug 2011 Dan’s Media Digest episode 1 review
22 Aug 2011 Unpopcult episode 1 review
19 Aug 2011 Cultbox episode 1 review
Sunday Mirror magazine 21 August 2011
Saturday Mirror magazine 20 August 2011
Cover of TV & Satellite Week 20 – 26 August 2011
TV Guide 20 – 26 August 2011
12 Aug 2011 TV OverMind preview of the series (US site)
11 Aug 2011 NY Times preview of the series
11 Aug 2011 Variety preview of the series
19 Jul 2011 On the Box. Strike Back: Jumped the Shark?
10 Feb 2011 Sky have confirmed that Richard will appear in the second series of Strike Back: Second series for Sky1’s Strike Back
Here is the Sky Press Release announcing that a second series of Strike Back has been jointly commissioned by Sky and HBO/Cinemax. They also state that “Richard Armitage returns as John Porter”.
This was also reported in The Telegraph, on the Deadline.com site (which has details of the other 2 lead cast members) and on Digital Spy.
19 Jan 2011 The new lead in Sky’s Strike Back has been announced as Australian actor Sullivan Stapleton on the Herald Sun’s site.
24 Oct 2010 Letters page of TV Guide magazine
02 Aug 2010 Second series has been commissioned, to air late 2011. Articles in The Guardian and Digital Spy
28 July 2010 Global Strike Action on the Mirror Site – rumours of locations for series 2
Series 1 Articles in the Press
28 May 2012 French TV page promoting Strike Back series 1 and Spooks series 9.
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Translation: MI-5. Arms dealing, terrorist threats, organized crime… the British spies are back to business. The famous section D, already seriously shaken by Ros’s death, faces new troubles when Lucas North reveals a secret past. A British series always at the top. Every Monday from 11/06/2012 at 20:55 Canal+
STRIKE BACK. A series had never immersed its audience as much in the heart of the action since “24”. How does “Strike Back” (“fight back” in French) work? One mission per episode. In season 1, John Porter, a special forces unit soldier on the sidelines since a disastrous operation in Iraq, gets the opportunity to make amends…and also to discover what really happened during the mission that damaged his reputation. In season 2, also as enthralling, the agents Stonebridge and Marshall hunt/track down a Pakistani terrorist. A world where nobody can trust anyone, where the enemy is invisible, and where war is secretly at stake: welcome to “Strike Back”. Every Sunday from 10/06/2012, 20:55 Canal + |
04 March 2012 Sunday Times: the fortunes and prospects of British actors in the film industry are discussed with two mentions of Richard at the end of page 2.
15 Jul 2011 New Zealand Dominion Post, Hobbit actor in an SAS role.
15 Mar 2011 Sydney Morning Herald review of episode 2 by Louise Schwartzkoff
14 Mar 2011 Newcastle Herald 11-18 March
11 Mar 2011 Australian TV Guide
09 Mar 2011 Sydney Morning Herald 7 -12 March review by Nick Galvin
30 Jan 2011 Sat Guida TV preview of Strike Back to be shown on the FX channel in Italy
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Translation: At the heart of the action
In troubled areas of the world, risking their lives every episode: Strike Back, the spy from the UK bringing ‘heat’ to evenings on FX. Full of adrenaline and effects without holding back: the British like it that way. He is John Porter, and is a former member of the SAS (ultra elitist body of British special forces), dishonorably discharged seven years ago after a mission with tragic results: he will redeem himself with great cost to himself during Strike Back, from the miniseries with an exorbitant budget (we are talking several million pounds) produced by Sky1, that Fox has scheduled this month. Richard Armitage, the actor who plays him, has played a spy on the screen before of course, in the role of Lucas North, director of MI5’s Section D in Spooks. Whcih is why he wanted to perform all the stunts himself (except when his character jumps from 30 metres high, the production forbid him to do that), and it is a world where he can play with sophisticated weapons (and most are realistic) in the series: training was provided on set by two genuine ex-SAS operatives. Six episodes, which are actually three films, with different stories, set respectively in Iraq (to save a journalist kidnapped by a group of Islamic extremists), Zimbabwe (to defeat a mole inside British intelligence) and Afghanistan (to capture a British hacker, responsible for the deaths of US Marines, who previously worked for the CIA). Clear, no? But with Porter in the middle, nothing is as it seems … |
27 Jan 2011 Osnabrucker Zeitung have given Strike Back episode 1 five stars.
Translation:
Wendsday, 26th of January, Time 22:05, RTL2
Have you seen “Strike Back – The Ambush”?
The pictures are familiar: reporters or aid workers, who were kidnapped by terrorists after Gulf War II and killed later in front of a running camera. This fate also faces British reporter Katie Dartmouth (Orla Brady).
But she can hope: John Porter, a former British elite soldier knows exactly how the Iraqi terrorists tick. However first he has to persuade the chief of the counter-terrorist unit of the intelligence service MI6. And this is not easy, after Porter’s former unsuccessful mission he is found to be unacceptable.
So he fights on all fronts – and this is not what you would call squeamish. The series “Strike Back”, whose first part “The Ambush” will be shown today, is tough. Meanwhile the hero is fighting and shooting through hostile lines, the blood sprays on both sides. And because he stands up again after several scenes of torture, he is reminiscent of Jack Bauer, the hero of the US-series “24”. The faint-hearted should switch channels.
But those who enjoy suspenseful entertainment will love the lone warrior played by Richard Armitage. In any case the Brits do, and the second series of “Strike Back” is already being planned.
Rating: 5 Stars
21 Jan 2011 TV Today magazine from Germany. Third episdode review.
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Tranlsation: Strike Back – Day of Revenge. TV Action Drama. Final of the three part series based on Chris Ryan’s books.
In Afghanistan MI6 agent John Porter must find computer hacker Gerald Baxter (Ewen Bremner ‘Trainspotting’). Baxter hacked British torpedoes which fired on US troops. Porter passed himself off as an arms dealer to cross his path. But both of them fell into the American’s hands who want to see Baxter dead. Fast and crisply staged, nice jokes and two calculated surprises – even the last part of this British army-agent trilogy affords solid, amusing action. Bremner convinces as a ‘crackpot’ just as well as Armitage does as a hero. Incidentally, Armitage will play dwarf Thorin in Peter Jackson’s ‘The Hobbit’. Picture captions Larger picture: Hacker Baxter and Agent Porter come under… With no frills, exciting military film. |
18 Jan 2011 TV Today magazine from Germany. Second episdode review.
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Tranlsation: TV action drama. After his mission in Iraq John Porter goes to Harare, Africa. Robert Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe, has been shot! When the gunman, Felix Masuku, gets caught he receives word that he shot the president’s doppelganger. Zimbabwe’s government blames Britain for the attack. The theory doesn’t seem strange, beause Masuku is a british ex-soldier. Special agent John Porter, disguised as a diamond-smuggler, infiltrates the prison to free Masuku …
The way from MI5 agent in “Spooks” to MI6 man Porter was hard for Richard Armitage: before starting to film the 39-year old actor did special training for ten weeks. Picture captions First pic: In prison Porter must put up with a lot. Blue box: Mission successful: crisp action series |
07 Jan 2011 TV Today magazine from Germany. First episdode review.
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Tranlsation: TV action drama in three parts. A British elite soldier must go to the trouble spots in the world.
After a failed elite mission in Iraq 2003, SAS man John Porter quit the service. But later he comes back undercover to Iraq, to rescue the British journalist Katie Dartmouth (Orla Brady). Author Chris Ryan was an elite soldier in Iraq and Zaire before he established himself as an successful author of war memoirs and military thrillers. “The Ambush” (German title of the episode) leans on his own experiences from the first “Gulf War”. A second season is already being planned. (Repeated 3:35am, second part on 28th January) Picture captions First pic: Porter (on knees) meets enemies from the past Top right pic: elite soldier on mission Below right: Katie’s life is in danger Blue box: “Believable TV action about real hard blokes”! |
05 June 2010 Chris Ryan’s Strike Back: Season 1 (Complete) Review on the IndieLondon site
24 May 2010 Strike Back ep5&6 review, by Dan’s Media Digest
24 May 2010 Review: Strike Back by Ian Cullen on the Monsters and Critics site
22 May 2010 Richard Armitage Offers Hero Appeal in Strike Back by Marion McMullen in the Coventry Telegraph
20 May 2010 Strike Back ep5&6 review, on the IndieLondon site
20 May 2010 Strike Back ep5&6 review, by Unpopcult
16 May 2010 Mail on Sunday Live Magazine
16 May 2010 Strike Back ep3&4 review, on the indielondon site
15 May 2010 Daily Express Saturday Magazine
15 May 2010 Sun TV Magazine
15 May 2010 Strike Back ep3&4 review, on the seenit.co.uk website
14 May 2010 Strike Back ep3&4 review, in Dan’s Media Digest
13 May 2010 Strike Back ep3&4 review, in The Metro online
13 May 2010 Strike Back ep3&4 review, by Unpopcult
12 May 2010 Daily Mail
12 May 2010 Interview with Chris Ryan in the Daily Record
12 May 2010 Strike Back episodes 3 & 4 preview, in The Mirror (spoilers)
11 May 2010 Radio Times
10 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Dan Owen of Obsessedwithfilm.com
09 May 2010 Mail on Sunday ‘Live’ magazine
09 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by AA Gill of The Sunday Times
09 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Rhiannon Harries of The Independent
09 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Andrew Anthony of The Guardian
08 May 2010 Daily Mirror ‘We Love Telly’ magazine
08 May 2010 Daily Mail ‘Weekend’ magazine
08 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by John Lloyd of the Financial Times
07 May 2010 Interview with Dhafer L’Abidine on the IndieLondon site, in which he is very complimentary about Richard
07 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review by The Medium is Not Enough blog
07 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review by Living.Scotsman.com
07 May 2010 TV Ratings for Strike Back eps1&2 in the Guardian
07 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, on IndieLondon
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by John Preston of The Telegraph
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Gerard Gilbert of The Arts Desk
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Pauseliveaction’s blog
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Unpopcult
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, on the SundaySun’s blog
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review by Andrew Billen of The Times
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Keith Watson of The Metro
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Tom Sutcliffe of The Independent
06 May 2010 Strike Back ep1&2 review, by Sam Wollaston of The Guardian
05 May 2010 Just the man for the job, by Steve Pratt of The Northern Echo
“In the book, but not in the script, Porter has a problem with alcohol, so I’ve used that much earlier in his life. I wanted Porter’s father to be military, and this period of delinquency comes from Porter being absent when his father died. So, his route into the military was to do with atonement for his father’s death and honouring his memory.”
05 May 2010 Strike Back review from Onthebox.com
05 May 2010 Richard Armitage: from Spy to SAS, by Vicky Frost of The Guardian
So imagine running smack-bang into a massive poster of yourself. Wearing army fatigues. Doing a bit of a glower. “It sort of makes your stomach churn,” admits Richard Armitage – currently plastered across posters for Sky 1’s Strike Back. “I saw one and I had to look away quite quickly.”
05 May 2010 Interview with Richard on DigitalSpy’s website about Spooks and Strike Back.
On Robin Hood: “I loved doing it, it was brilliant. I’d definitely do a spinoff, a Guy of Gisborne spinoff!”
05 May 2010 Daily Mail‘s Satellite Choice of the day
05 May 2010 Daily Mirror
05 May 2010 Preview of Strike Back in The Daily Express online
05 May 2010 Interview with Andrew Lincoln in The Sun online
04 May 2010 Radio Times
04 May 2010 Chris Ryan’s Strike Back on TV Guide blog
04 May 2010 Strike Back preview on Unpopcult’s blog
04 May 2010 Interview with Andrew Lincoln in Metro online
02 May 2010 Richard Armitage plays a hero soldier, by Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury
02 May 2010 Sunday Express
You can read David Stephenson’s blog which introduces the above article here.
David Stephenson provided audio that formed the basis of the above interview. Two links to the audio interview:
- An introduction on David’s blog with a link to the audio file of the interview underneath.
- David has given me permission to convert the file into an mp3 format. Right-mouse click here and choose ‘Save Link as’ to download it (Ctrl-click on a Mac).
02 May 2010 The Mail on Sunday Live magazine
02 May 2010 Interview with Orla Brady in the California Chronicle
01 May 2010 Daily Express S Magazine
01 May 2010 The Sun TV magazine
01 May 2010 TV Preview: Strike Back, by Blake Connolly of Frost magazine
30 Apr 2010 Chris Ryan’s Strike Back is Even More Stunning on Screen, by Heather Hughes of TV.com
30 Apr 2010 Richard Armitage Strikes Back, by Andy Welch for the AOL TV site
“you have to give a character a family tree, think about where they grew up, how many brothers they have. I put things into the character I felt were important, reasons for joining the army and so on. It’s to do with his responsibility, and I related that back to his father, something significant with his dad, which then manifests itself in Porter’s relationship with his daughter in our story”
or read the AOL article here:
29 Apr 2010 FHM Magazine
29 Apr 2010 Tough Act (abridged online version), by E Jane Dickson of Reader’s Digest, full printed interview here:
Reader’s Digest May 2010
29 Apr 2010 Richard Armitage Talks Strike Back, Emily Phillips of Screenrush.co.uk
“I couldn’t be further away from that! I’m the guy that’s off painting and playing the cello. That’s probably why it is kind of satisfying to do. It’s a life I never would have chosen and will never choose, so that’s why it’s interesting to play the character, because it’s quite far from my own aspirations.”
29 Apr 2010 Shortlist newspaper
29 Apr 2010 Time Out magazine
28 Apr 2010 10 minutes with Strike Back‘s Richard Armitage, by Heather Hughes of TV.com which is linked to this article: Richard Armitage plans Prequel to The Tudors
28 Apr 2010 Interview with Chris Ryan with reference to Strike Back, The Telegraph online
27 Apr 2010 TV & Satellite Week
this image is also available online at the WOTV site
and it looks like this: 
27 Apr 2010 TV Choice
27 Apr 2010 Total TV Guide
27 Apr 2010 TV Quick
27 Apr 2010 Radio Times
27 Apr 2010 What’s On TV magazine
27 Apr 2010 TV Times
24 Apr 2010 Daily Express
21 Apr 2010 Front cover, article and TV planner snippet in the Sky May 2010 Magazine
20 Apr 2010 Strike Back pressure for Richard: Interview at The Press Association site (also repeated in the Mirror.co.uk)
20 Apr 2010 Radio Times A4 advertisement
18 Apr 2010 On Strike Action, Mirror.co.uk
16 Apr 2010 Editor’s pick: Chris Ryan’s Strike Back, GQmagazine.co.uk
10 Apr 2010 The Sun TV Magazine
09 Feb 2010 What’s on TV Magazine
07 Jan 2010 FHM Magazine
29 Dec 2009 Sky Magazine
11 Nov 2009 Strike Back shoots in Jozi, Gauteng Film Commission website
01 Sep 2009 TV Times
| 25 Aug 2009 | Sky release more information about Strike Back online. |
| 25 Aug 2009 | Richard Armitage Strikes Back, Screenrush.co.uk |
| 24 Aug 2009 | Sky1 issues Strike Back order, C21 Media |
| 24 Aug 2009 | BSkyB to ‘Strike Back’ with drama, Variety Online. Project details with information about other cast members. |
| 24 Aug 09 | Guardian article about Strike Back and Sky drama |