The Sandbaggers is a British spy drama television series about men and women on the front lines of the Cold War. Set contemporaneously with its original broadcast on ITV in 1978 and 1980, The Sandbaggers examines the effect of espionage on the personal and professional lives of British and American intelligence specialists. All but three of the 20 episodes of the three series were written by its creator, Ian Mackintosh, who died during the recording of series three. The series was produced by Yorkshire Television, based in Leeds.

Neil D. Burnside^[1] (Roy Marsden) is Director of Operations in Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (abbreviated 'SIS'), a.k.a. MI6, although that name is never used in the series. The series follows Burnside as he oversees a small, elite group of intelligence officers, the Special Operations Section, nicknamed "Sandbaggers", composed of highly trained officers whose missions tend to be politically sensitive or especially vital, such as escorting defectors across borders (or preventing defections from the UK), carrying out assassinations, or rescuing operatives from behind the Iron Curtain.

The series depicts Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and SIS having a co-operative agreement to share intelligence; a regular theme shows SIS as so underfunded that it has become dependent on the CIA. Burnside consequently goes to great lengths to preserve the "Special Relationship" between the CIA and SIS, most notably in the episode of the same name. Episodes frequently revolve around Burnside's frustration at trying to operate his directorate in the face of what he believes to be unwarranted bureaucratic and governmental interference, in particular from his Deputy Chief, Matthew Peele.

This section possibly contains unsourced predictions, speculative material, or accounts of events that might not occur. Information must be verifiable and based on reliable published sources. (June 2015)

The Sandbaggers was created by Ian Mackintosh, a Scottish former naval officer turned television writer, who had previously achieved success with the acclaimed BBC television series Warship. He wrote all the episodes of the first two series of The Sandbaggers, but in July 1979, during the shooting of the third series, he and his girlfriend—a British Airways stewardess—were declared lost at sea after their single-engined aircraft went missing over the Pacific Ocean near Alaska, following a radioed call for help. Some of the details surrounding their disappearance have caused speculation about what actually occurred, including their stop at an abandoned United States Air Force base and the fact that the plane happened to crash in the one small area that was not covered by either U.S. or Soviet radar.^[2]

Mackintosh disappeared after he had written just four of the scripts for the third series, so other writers were called in to bring the episode count up to seven. The Sandbaggers ends on an unresolved cliffhanger because the producers decided that no one else could write the series as well as Mackintosh had and chose not to continue it in his absence. Ray Lonnen, who played Sandbagger Willie Caine, indicated in correspondence with fans that there were plans for a follow-up season in which his character, using a wheelchair, had taken over Burnside's role as Director of Special Operations.

Because of the atmosphere of authenticity that the scripts evoked and the liberal use of "spook" jargon, there has been speculation that Mackintosh might have been a former operative of SIS or had, at least, contact with the espionage community.^[2][3] This has extended to speculation that his disappearance was no accident or had to do with a secret mission he was undertaking. There is a possibility that Mackintosh may have been involved in intelligence operations during his time in the Royal Navy, but no conclusive evidence has surfaced.^[4] When asked, Mackintosh himself was always coy about whether he had been a spy.

Whether or not Mackintosh had any experience in the world of espionage, the organisational structure of SIS depicted in The Sandbaggers is probably closer to that of the CIA than that of the SIS. There is no formal section of the SIS known as the Special Operations Section, as far as is publicly known, and there is no intelligence unit known as the Sandbaggers. However, the departures from accuracy in the show may have been deliberate, in order to avoid problems with the SIS under the Official Secrets Act. Ray Lonnen mentioned in an interview that one episode in the second series was vetoed because it dealt with sensitive information, which explains why the second series has only six episodes.

Most exterior filming was done in the city of Leeds and the surrounding Yorkshire countryside. Additional exterior scenes were filmed in London, Belgium and Malta. Interior studio scenes were shot on videotape.

The series is grim, though laced with black humour, depicting the high emotional toll taken on espionage professionals who operate in a world of moral ambiguity. The Sandbaggers undercuts many of the accepted conventions of the spy thriller genre: in direct contrast to the "girls, guns, and gadgets" motif established by the James Bond films of the 1960s and 70s, The Sandbaggers features ordinary people in an extraordinary line of work. There are very few action sequences, and the equipment available to the operatives is standard and often outdated. Neil Burnside is a harried spymaster who doesn't drink; Willie Caine is a secret agent who abhors guns and violence, and is paid a basic civil servant's salary. On a number of occasions, the characters explicitly disparage the fictitious world of James Bond and the romanticized view of intelligence work shared by amateurs and outsiders.

The plots are complex, multi-layered, and unpredictable: regular characters are killed off abruptly, and surprise twists abound. The dialogue is intelligent and frequently witty. The Sandbaggers consists mostly of conversation: in a typical episode, Burnside moves from office to office speaking (and arguing) with his colleagues in Whitehall and in the intelligence community. These are interspersed with scenes of the Sandbaggers operating in the field, or of the "Ops Room", where missions are coordinated and controlled.

The title theme music, composed by jazz pianist Roy Budd, establishes its rhythmic undertone with the cimbalom, an instrument often associated with spy thrillers (John Barry, for example, used the cimbalom in his scores for The Ipcress File and The Quiller Memorandum). From series 2 onwards, the theme contains an additional organ playing the same melody line. This version (or 'mix') was also used in the opening titles of episode 2 and episode 7 of series 1).

Unusually for an episodic drama, The Sandbaggers is almost entirely devoid of incidental music. One notable exception is the last episode of series 1 (episode 7) where Burnside's feelings get the better of him for reasons the audience (by then) fully understand.

25 Savile Row in London was used for the exterior shots of SIS Headquarters, the location of Burnside's office. Burnside lives in a flat in Frobisher House of Dolphin Square. Wellingham's office is located in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Whitehall. Many scenes take place outside Wellingham's office by the Robert Clive statue on King Charles Street. The US Embassy at 24 Grosvenor Square, designed by Eero Saarinen and built in 1960, was used for exterior shots of Jeff Ross's office.

In series 1 and 2, the large painting that hangs in Greenley's office is "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Robert Alexander Hillingford. When Gibbs becomes "C" in series 3, it is replaced by an unidentified naval painting. The painting in Wellingham's office is "Northumberland House, Charing Cross," by John Paul.

In 1-03, "Is Your Journey Really Necessary?" Burnside confronts Sally Graham in Holland Park.

In 1-04, "The Most Suitable Person," Creskeld Hall serves as the field school.

In 1-07, "Special Relationship," Quarry Hill Flats in Leeds serves as Mittag's apartment in East Berlin.

In 2-02, "Enough of Ghosts," Wellingham stays at the Brussels Hilton.

In 2-03, "Decision by Committee," Burnside and Ross share a drink in the top floor lounge of the London Hilton on Park Lane.

In 2-04, "A Question of Loyalty," Motika's aborted rendezvous with Wallace in Warsaw was filmed at the Brunswick Building in Leeds. Hunslet Grange Flats, also in Leeds, serve as Motika's apartment.

In 2-06, "It Couldn't Happen Here," Newton Kyme Hall serves as Senator Herron's house in West Virginia. Herron's funeral, also in West Virginia, was filmed at Saltaire United Reformed Church in West Yorkshire.

In 2-06, "Operation Kingmaker," Peele buys a suit from a Dunn & Co. store at 373 Strand.

In 3-02, "To Hell with Justice," Edward Tyler stays at the Excelsior Hotel (now the Grand Excelsior) in Floriana, Malta. The final dialogue between Tyler and Burnside takes place at the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

In 3-03, "Unusual Approach," the hotel in Rhodes where Burnside, Peel, and Wellingham stay is represented by the Villa Messina in Rabat, Malta.

In 3-04, "My Name is Anna Wiseman," Anna's apartment is Brussels is represented by the Granby Hotel in Harrogate. The entrance to the cemetery in Belgium where Burnside meets Anna was represented by the gate to Harewood House, while the cemetery itself was Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery.

In 3-07, "Opposite Numbers," the SALT conference in Malta takes place at the Grand Hotel Verdala in Rabat and the Malta Hilton in St. Julian's. Burnside hides Filatov in a house at 4 Vjal Santu Wistin in Rabat.

Neil Burnside (Roy Marsden)

Burnside is the Director of Operations (D-Ops) of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, also known as MI6). Himself a former Sandbagger and a former Royal Marine officer, Burnside has been D-Ops for only six months at the start of the series. He is arrogant and obsessively dedicated to his job, and regularly finds himself at odds with his superiors, politicians, the Foreign Office, and MI5.

Willie Caine (Ray Lonnen), "Sandbagger One"

Caine, a former Paratrooper, is head of the Special Operations Section. He shares a bond of friendship and trust with Burnside, and is not afraid to speak his mind; Burnside describes Caine as "probably the best operative currently operating anywhere in the world". He is the only character besides Burnside to appear in every episode of the series.

Sir James Greenley (Richard Vernon), "C" (series 1 and 2)

Greenley is the recently-appointed head of SIS, code-named "C". Burnside is initially wary of Greenley, who was a diplomat before becoming "C", but over time they develop a close relationship; Burnside describes Greenley as the best "C" SIS has ever had. He retires at the end of the second series due to angina and is replaced by John Tower Gibbs.

Matthew Peele (Jerome Willis), Deputy Chief

As Deputy Chief, Peele is usually the first person to whom Burnside reports. They share an antagonistic relationship, as Burnside views Peele as a nuisance with no opinions of his own, while Peele considers Burnside reckless, arrogant, and untrustworthy. Peele is generally disliked by most characters, but displays considerable tact and intelligence throughout the series, as he is often more aware of/concerned with the bigger picture than Burnside.

Sir Geoffrey Wellingham (Alan MacNaughtan)

Burnside's personal and professional life come together in Wellingham, Burnside's former father-in-law and the Permanent Undersecretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which oversees SIS. They share an informal but sometimes antagonistic relationship which on occasion is tested to its limit, but also maintain an unspoken fondness and respect for each other.

Jeff Ross (Bob Sherman), head of London station, CIA

Ross is Burnside's only friend, and the two maintain a close personal and professional relationship; he tends to share Burnside's disdain of bureaucratic and political interference. They occasionally work at odds with one another, but are most often allies fighting their common enemies (the Soviets, and bureaucracy within their own agencies). Ross shows himself to be considerably more ruthless and cold-blooded than Burnside on several occasions.

John Tower Gibbs (Dennis Burgess), "C" (series 3 only)

Gibbs replaces Greenley as "C" in the last episode of the second series. A former head of station with whom Burnside has an antagonistic relationship, Gibbs disapproves of Burnside and his method of operating. His appointment (along with a continued lack of funding) leads to increased tension within SIS. Gibbs and Burnside regularly clash throughout the third series.

Other characters

Diane Lawler (Elizabeth Bennett) is Burnside's fiercely loyal personal assistant; she leaves SIS when she marries at the end of the second series, handpicking her replacement, Marianne Straker (Sue Holderness), who stays with Burnside for the remainder of the series.

There are two other Sandbaggers at the beginning of the series: Jake Landy (David Glyder) and Alan Denson (Steven Grives). Both are killed and replaced in the first series by Laura Dickens (Diane Keen), the only female Sandbagger, who is in turn killed at the end of the first series. The second series opens with two new Sandbaggers: Tom Elliott (David Beames), who is soon killed, and Mike Wallace (Michael Cashman), who survives as Sandbagger Two until the end of the series.

Edward Tyler (Peter Laird) is introduced as SIS Director of Intelligence (D-Int) in the first episode of the second series. Tyler, described as "brilliant" by Wellingham and considered the best D-Int SIS has ever had, shares a friendly relationship with Burnside, but dies early in the third series and is replaced by Paul Dalgetty (David Robb). Dalgetty, who appears in only two episodes, is openly antagonistic towards Burnside, manoeuvring to replace him as D-Ops, and is briefly scheduled to do so in "Who Needs Enemies" (S03E06), owing to a KGB plot.

Sam Lawes (Brian Osborne), Brian Milton (Barkley Johnson) and Bruce (Paul Haley) are often on duty in the Ops Room, coordinating missions.

Each of the 20 episodes of The Sandbaggers runs just over fifty minutes without commercials, originally airing with commercial breaks that divided the episode into three acts. Animated bumpers similar to the end credits lead into and out of the commercial breaks.

• In the United Kingdom, Series One was broadcast nationwide on ITV in September and October 1978; Series Two, January–March 1980; Series Three, June and July 1980. ITV repeated The Sandbaggers once in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the cable/satellite channels Granada Plus and SelecTV showed repeats. Series 1 was shown on London Live (TV channel) commencing 9 December 2023.
• In Canada, CBC Television aired The Sandbaggers nationwide in the 1980s.
• In Australia, the Nine Network aired The Sandbaggers nationwide in 1982.
• In the United States, The Sandbaggers was sold in syndication to individual PBS stations from the mid-1980s until the mid-1990s.
• In Italy, the series was briefly shown on some local television stations in 1988. All episodes were dubbed in Italian.
• In Israel, Channel 1 aired The Sandbaggers (titled "The Selected") nationwide in the mid-1980s. All episodes were subtitled in Hebrew.

• Mackintosh, Ian. (1978). The Sandbaggers. Corgi Children's.

• List of The Sandbaggers characters
• Warship
• Ian Mackintosh
• Spooks