Matthew Macfadyen embodies spymaster George Smiley in preview of Legacy Of Spies

Matthew Macfadyen is sporting George Smiley’s signature thick spectacles and looks sharp in a black suit in a first glimpse in character as John le Carré’s cunning spymaster.

The 51-year-old actor will star as the ordinary-looking but brilliant intelligence officer in upcoming BBC drama Legacy Of Spies, taking over the role of a character who was last portrayed on TV in the 1990s.

The eight-part series has been adapted from le Carré’s 1963 bestseller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, an espionage novel set against the backdrop of the Cold War, and its 2017 follow-up A Legacy Of Spies.

Matthew Macfadyen will take on the role of George Smiley in a new BBC drama (Ian West/PA)

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Award-winning actor Macfadyen will star as the brilliant spy alongside Charlie Hunnam, who will portray his colleague and fellow British intelligence officer Alec Leamas.

The series is set in the 1960s against the backdrop of the newly erected Berlin Wall with Leamas considering the prospect of retirement or a desk job during the Cold War.

The agent is then tasked with trapping the deputy director of the East German Intelligence Service, with Smiley working on the behind-the-scenes operations of Leamas’ mission.

A first glimpse sees Macfadyen wearing a simple black suit, with coiffed hair and thick-rimmed glasses, which the beloved spy is known for removing and wiping against his necktie when deep in thought.

Macfadyen is no stranger to espionage roles and has previously featured in spy drama Spooks and war film Operation Mincemeat, and seemingly embodies the physically unassuming appearance of Smiley – who is famously known as the antithesis of suave 007 agent James Bond.

LEAMAS (Charlie Hunnam)Csaba Aknay

Smiley was last portrayed on the big screen by award-winning actor Gary Oldman in 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Hunnam, 46, is seen sporting a dark, high-collared coat and a navy blue shirt as he takes on the role of the cynical and worn-out veteran intelligence operative who was last played by Richard Burton, in the 1965 film adaptation of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

The actor, known for Queer As Folk, The Gentlemen and Sons Of Anarchy, is pictured in front of a glowing neon sign while looking solemnly into the distance.

The series also features actress and comedian Charlotte Ritchie and US actor Hugh Laurie, known for his role in le Carré’s screen adaptation of The Night Manager.

Charlotte Ritchie is among the cast members in the new le Carré adaptation (Ben Whitley/PA)

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Daniel Bruhl, Dan Stevens and Agnes O’Casey will also appear in the series alongside Devrim Lingnau Islamoglu, Jake Dunn, Anjana Vasan and Felix Kammerer.

The series, which has been produced by The Ink Factory and Amusement Park Film, consists of 60-minute-long episodes and will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

Filming recently wrapped for the highly anticipated show, with further details including a release date yet to be announced.