Danny Dyer, known for his EastEnders role as Mick Carter, will star in a “heart-stopping” and “emotional” TV series dramatising the 1980 Iranian embassy siege.
The 48-year-old joins Sherwood‘s David Morrissey in Channel 4’s adaptation of Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book, The Siege.
The six-part drama is adapted by Slow Horses and Veep creator Will Smith.
It recounts the events of 30 April 1980.
Six armed Iranian terrorists took 26 people hostage after bursting into the London embassy.
The thriller will follow the six-day stand-off between the gunmen, hostages, police, and the Special Air Service (SAS) mission that broke the siege.
Ian Katz, chief content officer at Channel 4, said: “The Iranian embassy siege and the daring raid which ended it was an iconic moment that forged the ferocious reputation of the modern SAS.
“The show is a heart-stopping, emotional thriller that reveals the little-known motivations of the hapless hostage-takers and the very human reality of what went on inside the embassy as the world looked on, and Britain’s most lethal soldiers practised their high-stakes assault.
Katz added: “It will change the way people understand the siege and reveal how close the famous SAS operation came to disaster.”
Dyer is also known for his roles in football films Mean Machine (2001) and The Football Factory (2004).
He will be joined by 200 Metres actor Motaz Malhees in a cast that also includes The Crown star Alex Jennings.
The Siege is directed by Lewis Arnold (Time, Des) and executive produced by Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, A Spy Among Friends).
A release date for the series is yet to be announced.
Alexandre Piel, deputy head of drama, ARTE France said: “The Siege is our first coproduction with UK, and we are truly honoured to be associated with Channel 4 on this fantastic project.
“Will Smith is a brilliant author; his adaptation of Ben Macintyre’s novel masterfully blends a gripping thriller with the emotional depth of this tragic event. He made it an intense, moving, and funny story all at once.”