Joe Cole is worlds away from Peaky Blinders in first trailer for ITV spy thriller The Ipcress File

JOE Cole is set to take on a starring role after being cast in The Ipcress File.

Set against the backdrop of Cold War Europe, the ITV series will see Joe star in the iconic role of Harry Palmer, alongside Lucy Boynton, Ashley Thomas and Tom Hollander, with a new teaser clip giving fans a taste of what they can expect.

Joe Cole stars in the new spy thriller

Joe is probably best known for his role in Peaky Blinders as John Shelby or as Sean Wallace, the son of a murdered crime boss, in Gangs of London.

The 33-year-old actor will now make a name for himself in another key role, which will see him star as a savvy secret agent on his first undercover mission.

The upcoming six-part series is an adaptation of the famous 1962 Len Deighton novel of the same name and will premiere on Sunday, March 6.

The spy novel sold over 10million copies worldwide and was the inspiration for the 1965 film, The Ipcress File, starring Sir Michael Caine.

This atmospheric espionage thriller is the first of a series featuring the iconic British spy Harry Palmer – meaning we could see much more of Cole’s character in the future.

Harry Palmer is a British army sergeant on the make in Berlin. In this newly partitioned city, a sharp working-class young man with sophisticated tastes can make a lot of money.

Wholesaler, retailer, fixer, smuggler, Harry’s varied interests bring him into contact with everything and everyone – until the law catches up with him and it all comes crashing to a halt.

Harry finds himself sentenced to eight years in a grim military jail in England, all his prospects abruptly torn away.

But his impressive network and efficiency have not gone unnoticed, and a gentleman from British intelligence has a proposal.

To avoid prison, Harry Palmer will become a spy. And the case on which he cuts his teeth will be The Ipcress File.

ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill commented: “I’m thrilled to be bringing John Hodge’s brilliant adaptation of such an iconic novel to ITV.

“Harry Palmer is an incredible part and this would have been impossible without the right actor, so we are all delighted that Joe Cole will take on the role.”

The Ipcress Files will start on Sunday, March 6 at 9pm on ITV.