Rebekah Staton

A Bafta winner and nominated for (but didn't win) an International Emmy last month, this espionage comedy caper certainly has its admirers even if some may find it overly silly. That said, the cast cannot be faulted, chief among them are the excellent Darren Boyd as the hapless, accidental spy Tim, and Robert Lindsay as his maniac boss, "The Examiner". In tonight's episode Tim gets just the required push needed to try to rekindle his romance with fellow spook Caitlin (Rebekah Staton) after he discovers he's on an assassin's hit list. Meanwhile, the precocious Marcus (the often scene-stealing Jude Wright), finds the perfect moment to humiliate a rival at school as he again seeks the affections of Justine (Ellie Hopkins).

Accidental spy Tim (Darren Boyd), still hoping to rekindle office romance with Caitlin (Rebekah Staton), has the perfect assignment fall in his lap: shielding an at-risk, incredibly hot witness (Anna Skellern) in his home. Making his colleague jealous by pretending would be enough, but Elaine proves willing and, indeed, insatiable.

She's also dangerously barking, culminating in a confidently over-the-top scene in a restaurant that could be cringeworthy if the cast weren't so good. It climaxes with a line that caused major corpsing on set. You'll know it when they get there.

Tim's best mate, ex-wife and boss all observe his new relationship, in an episode that makes good use of that visual gag where you don't initially know certain characters are present in a scene. Chief lurker is monstrously irresponsible therapist Owen, played with manic relish by Miles Jupp, the latest addition to a fearsomely good ensemble.

After years of toiling in the background, Darren Boyd's Bafta for comedy performance in Spy was a welcome surprise. Series two brings more of the same, showcasing his aptitude for physical and verbal comedy, even if the excellent Robert Lindsay is still used only sparingly. Accidental MI5 agent Tim (Boyd) is back from holiday and given his first interrogation, while inadvertently reuniting unrequited love Caitlin (Rebekah Staton) with her ex. The star of the show is probably Jude Wright as Tim's poisonous son, Marcus, this week given a slippery (and therefore entirely worthy) adversary in the election for president of the school council. That said boy's name is Nick is milked to full effect in this age of non-existent Cleggism. The novelty value may have worn off, but Spy is still superior family-friendly fare.

Series two of the unerringly funny comedy about an idiot mistakenly hired by MI5. Darren Boyd won a Bafta for the lead role of bumbling Tim in the first series - but during the course of the run, an embarrassment of other good characters emerged.

So while Tim's ongoing efforts to snare his gorgeous colleague Caitlin (Rebekah Staton) and avoid being corrupted by his insane boss (Robert Lindsay) are still funny, they are subplots here.

Instead we focus on Tim's young son Marcus, played by the superb Jude Wright. Usually the most terrifyingly assured male on TV, Marcus now finds his opponent in the election for school president is a sharper, slicker version of himself. An über-Marcus.

Spy's Rebekah Staton claims she can't keep a secret

Spy star Rebekah Staton says she could not be more different from her character - as she cannot keep secrets.

Rebekah Staton is in the firing line

Spy star Rebekah Staton caused chaos on the set of the latest series - when she almost fired a loaded stunt gun by mistake.

Darren Boyd & Rebekah Staton interview

Darren Boyd and Rebekah Staton talk to TV Choice ahead of Series 2...

Tim really is a loser. As we meet him he's suffering yet another dressing-down from his nastily precocious nine-year-old son (Jude Wright), his withering ex and her annoying new bloke. He's stuck in a terrible retail job. He's lazy, nervous and accident-prone.

Tim's the character Darren Boyd was born to play, in other words, and consequently everything Boyd says and does is funny in this new comedy from relatively unknown writer Simeon Goulden.

Today, Tim's life changes as he accidentally gets a job working as an MI5 agent with licence to kill. The bumbler-out-of-water gag is a bit of an easy comedy win that could feasibly wear thin over a series - but based on the cutting comebacks and rat-a-tat timing here, it probably won't. As Tim's Secret Service colleagues, Robert Lindsay and Rebekah Staton are excellent foils for Boyd.

Darren Boyd is a slightly more effective undercover in Spy, a new Sky1 sitcom whose premise seems lifted from the American series Chuck: they're both about hapless, put-upon guys who work in computer stores and are accidentally recruited by the secret services, thenceforth having to maintain their geeky cover while juggling espionage adventures. Chuck, though, is a glossy action show and Spy is, unfortunately, just the usual underachieving British sitcom which somehow manages to take a talented enough cast and a promising enough premise and yet not deliver any real laughs at all.

Boyd's longsuffering Tim looks slightly irritated throughout, though it doesn't stop several women (including the wasted Rebekah Staton) falling for him, while it's interesting that instead of the usual cute, supportive kid, his nine-year-old son is a horrible little monster out to undermine his dad at any opportunity - interesting, but not actually funny. Still, the show has Robert Lindsay, liberated at last from the shackles of being the one to play the longsuffering dad in My Family, now as a demented, grizzled spy boss and clearly enjoying himself hugely. At least someone is.

Guantanamo Phil Review

Guantanamo Phil was pretty weak in terms of storytelling, but Steve Edge was pretty good as the gormless Phil, I have a soft spot for Rebekah Staton and her clenched smiles, and the comedy arguably kept you chuckling more regularly than many of this year's Comedy Showcase pieces.