Le Carre had ‘huge input’ in return of Night Manager

TOM HIDDLESTON has revealed that the late John le Carré had a part to play in the newly announced series of The Night Manager.

The actor, 43, talked about the author’s contribution as he failed to rule out fellow actor Hugh Laurie’s return as the villainous arms dealer.

Speaking after the news was announced that the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series would return after eight years, Hiddleston told latenight talk show host Jimmy Kimmel that le Carré had “a huge input” on the story.

The two new seasons, which will be filmed in London and South America later this year, are to go beyond the events of le Carré’s 1993 novel.

Hiddleston will return as executive producer as well as play the lead role of the hotel manager turned spy Jonathan Pine.

Asked by Kimmel why the renewal was coming almost a decade after the first season, the British actor said: “Honestly, we were just trying to get the story right. We were talking and working very closely with John le Carré, who sadly passed away a few years ago. But he’s had a huge input on the story.”

Pressed on Laurie’s return after saying that he would also be an executive producer, Hiddleston said: “I don’t know. He is a huge influence, he knows le Carré better than anyone.”

When Kimmel said his response “feels like a lie”, the actor added: “It’s something we’re still – you know, he is involved as a producer and that’s been great.”

When the late-night show host asked Hiddleston whether Le Carré had had to “come up with the rest” of the story, the actor responded: “Right, alongside him and his sons, who are the producers. And honestly, the first series was one of the most creatively fulfilling projects I have ever worked on. Le Carré’s Jonathan Pine is just complex.”

Le Carré, who died in 2020, left a body of work that is managed by his two sons, Simon and Stephen Cornwell, co-founders of The Ink Factory production company.

Announcing the new seasons, they said that they did not take the decision of going beyond the events in their father’s novel “lightly”, but explained that writer David Farr’s vision for the next chapter was “irresistible”.

Le Carré was understood to have taken a very hands-off approach to the first series, which followed Hiddleston as Pine, a former British soldier who is recruited by the manager of a Foreign Office taskforce to infiltrate an arms dealer’s inner circle while he is night manager of a luxury Cairo hotel.

Plot details are being kept under wraps for now.

‘The first series was one of the most creatively fulfilling projects I have ever worked on’