Ben Whishaw ‘nearly drove car off a bridge’ while filming new Black Doves series

Bafta Award-winning actor Ben Whishaw has said he nearly “drove a car off a bridge” while filming the new series of Black Doves.

Whishaw, 46, reprised his role as the lethal and deadpan professional assassin Sam Young in the Netflix spy thriller.

While shooting one of the scenes in the upcoming stunt-packed second season, Whishaw, who stars opposite Keira Knightley, said he accidentally put the car in the wrong gear.

Speaking to the Press Association at a launch event in central London, he said: “I nearly drove a car off a bridge. Well, actually, into a brick wall.

“Quite abruptly, I seem to remember, we shot forward.

“I don’t know how but I got the car in the wrong gear and it lurched.

“I am a very safe and responsible human being.

“We didn’t kill anybody. It was two seconds of horror.”

Knightley, who plays as Helen Webb, serves as an executive producer on the Joe Barton thriller which also stars Happy Valley actress Sarah Lancashire, who reprised her role as spymaster Reed, as well as Carnival Row’s Andrew Buchan, who plays Wallace, Webb’s husband and the incoming UK prime minister.

Irish actress Ella Lily Hyland also returns in the second season as assassin Williams along with Welsh actress Gabrielle Creevy, who plays fellow killer Eleanor, with One Day star Ambika Mod joining the cast as a Black Doves agent named Laila.

Whishaw has won three Baftas, two best actor awards for his roles in This Is Going to Hurt (2023) and The Hollow Crown: Richard II (2013) along with a best supporting actor prize for A Very English Scandal (2019).

Black Doves season two can be streamed on Netflix from November 5.