TV tonight: fascinating documentary explores the rise and fall of a Russian spy
Channel 4's two-part documentary Spy Next Door: The Anna Chapman Story, airing tonight, examines the rise and fall of Russian spy Anna Chapman, who used charm to infiltrate elite social circles in London and New York before being unmasked. The programme draws on interviews with unwitting acquaintances and the agents who tracked her, framing her story as a striking parallel to the broader arc of Russia-west relations under Vladimir Putin.
Other picks in the Guardian's TV guide include Athens: Birth of Democracy on PBS America, exploring the archaeological origins of Athenian democracy, and Extraordinary Extensions on Channel 4, in which Tinie Tempah oversees ambitious home renovation projects. Also featured are BBC Two's Murder Trial: Death of a Dog Walker, covering the killing of Brian Low in rural Scotland, Channel 5's 999: Critical Condition, and BBC Three's Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee, alongside a film choice of Gladiator II starring Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington.
In short
- Channel 4 airs a two-part documentary on spy Anna Chapman's rise and unmasking.
- Other listings include a democracy documentary, home renovations and a murder trial series.
- Film pick of the night is Ridley Scott's Gladiator II on Netflix.
Explained simply
Anna Chapman was part of a group of Russian agents arrested in the United States in 2010. They had been living under assumed identities and trying to gather information by building relationships with people in political and business circles.
The arrests came amid strained relations between Russia and western countries, though the two sides were also negotiating over security issues. Chapman was deported to Russia in a prisoner swap and later became a public figure there. Her case drew attention to how intelligence work can rely on long-term trust and ordinary social contact.
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