‘Slow Horses’ Season 7 Release Date Info, Cast, ‘Bad Actors’ Book Summary, And More
After the jaw-dropping final minutes of Slow Horses Season 6, Episode 6, “Judgment Day,” fans are understandably counting down the days until new episodes of Apple TV‘s Emmy-winning espionage series.
So what’s the status of Slough House’s finest MI-5 misfits? Slow Horses fans know the show is famous for snagging early renewals — so early that when one season ends, a teaser for the next season premieres! So when the end credits roll on Slow Horses Season 6’s finale, viewers will get an exciting first look at what’s ahead in Season 7.
After Season 6’s eventful, action-packed finale ended with a potentially deadly cliffhanger and a whole lot of questions, fans will be craving answers and proof of life.
So when is Slow Horses Season 7’s premiere date? Which Mick Herron novel will Slow Horses Season 7 adapt? Who’s joining the Slow Horses Season 7 cast? How many books are in the Slough House series? And will there be a Slow Horses Season 8?
Here’s everything to know about the future of Slow Horses, including Season 7 premiere date info, cast updates, Bad Actors book summary, what we learned from the teaser at the end of Season 6’s finale, and more.
Is There A New Episode Of Slow Horses This Week? How Many Episodes Are In Slow Horses Season 6?
Sadly, no! Slow Horses Season 6 consisted of six episodes, which means Season 6, Episode 6, “Judgment Day” served as the season finale.
Will There Be A Slow Horses Season 7 On Apple TV?
You bet! On July 8, 2025, ahead of its fifth season, Apple TV renewed Slow Horses for Season 7.
Slow Horses Season 7 Release Date: When Does Slow Horses Return With New Episodes On Apple TV?
While an official Slow Horses Season 7 premiere date has yet to be announced, fans can assume the one-season-per-year tradition will continue. Based on recent seasons, it’s also likely that we’ll get new episodes in Fall 2027. Why? Here’s when past seasons premiered:
- Season 1: April 1, 2022 – April 29, 2022
- Season 2: December 2, 2022 – December 30, 2022
- Season 3: November 29, 2023 – December 27, 2023
- Season 4: September 4, 2024 – October 9, 2024
- Season 5: September 24, 2025 – October 29, 2025
- Season 6: September 16, 2026 – October 21, 2026
How Many Episodes Will Be In Slow Horses Season 7?
Like Slow Horses seasons past, Season 7 will likely consist of six episodes.
What Will Slow Horses Season 7 Be About? And Which Mick Herron Book Will Slow Horses Season 7 Adapt?
Per Apple TV’s official press release, “In season seven, Lamb and his Slow Horses are on the hunt to find and neutralize a mole at the heart of the British Government before they can bring down the state. Season 7 is adapted from the Bad Actors novel in Mick Herron’s Slough House book series.”
Based on the preview at the end of Season 6’s finale, we have some additional intel on the season ahead, as well. ICYMI, the teaser kicks off with Standish asking Lamb if he’s heard anything about River. “Yeah, funny enough, I got a postcard. ‘Weather’s lovely in the afterlife. Sunsets to die for. Love and hugs,’” Lamb replied.
Then Taverner explains, “The head of the GRU, Vassily Rasnikov, arrived on UK soil unannounced,” which means the bow on Season 6’s storyline isn’t as neatly tied as everyone hoped. “That man sent a death squad to murder four of my joes,” Lamb says, confirming their score hasn’t been settled yet either.
We’ll also see Taverner out in the field in Season 7, with Lamb telling her, “Takes some fucking balls going after you.” And Taverner vowing, “I’m gonna chop that little fucker, Sparrow, off at the ankles.” She even flips the bird at a drone! And she runs — in heels! How can you feel they, Diana? Meanwhile, after we see Shirley take what appears to be an iron to a bus windshield, Lamb informs her she’s going to rehab to “get on top of impulse control issues.”
After a shot of helicopters and boats, we see Lamb asking, “How long has Rasnikov been in the country, getting up to fuck knows what?” Another man warns, “Something’s going down. I can feel it in my balls.” And Louisa’s voice warns, “We could be looking at a death toll into the thousands.”
In true Slow Horses fashion, there’s lots of fist fights, gunshots, car chases, and cursing ahead. Lamb screams, “You’re a spy. You know it. I know it,” at someone out of frame. Roddy has a gun to his head. A man gets hit by a car. And a voice warns, “This will be an overture reckoning.” Oh, and of course Lamb still makes time to messily eat! Want more? Here’s what else to know about Bad Actors…
Bad Actors Plot: What Is Book 8 In Mick Herron’s Slough House Series About?
Want more info on Slow Horses Season 7? Here’s the synopsis of Bad Actors, Book 8, straight from Herron’s website:
“A governmental think-tank, whose remit is to curb the independence of the intelligence service, has lost one of its key members, and Claude Whelan — one-time head of MI5’s Regent’s Park — is tasked with tracking her down. But the trail leads straight back to the Park itself, with Diana Taverner as chief suspect. Has Diana overplayed her hand at last? What’s her counterpart, Moscow’s First Desk, doing in London? And does Jackson Lamb know more than he’s telling?
Over at Slough House, with Shirley Dander in rehab, Roddy Ho in dress rehearsal, and new recruit Ashley Khan turning up the heat, the slow horses are doing what they do best, and adding a little bit of chaos to an already unstable situation . . . “
Slow Horses Season 7 Cast: Here’s Who’s Joining The Apple TV Series
When Slow Horses does return for Season 7, fans will meet a number of fresh faces. Ahead of Slow Horses’ Season 6 finale, Apple TV announced the following new cast members:
Varada Sethu (“The Other Bennet Sister,” “Andor,” “Doctor Who”), Ethan Moorhouse (“The Moment,” “Ludwig,” “Mobland”), Tuppence Middleton (“Downton Abbey: A New Era,” “Mank,” “Death by Lighting”), Merab Ninidze (“Homeland,” “The Courier”) and BAFTA Award nominee Joshua McGuire (“The Gold,” “Anatomy of a Scandal”) as well as the return of Actor Award nominee James Callis.
Will There Be A Slow Horses Season 8?
Yes again! On September 15, on the eve of Slow Horses Season 6’s premiere, Apple TV renewed Slow Horses for Season 8, revealing in a press release, “Season 8 sees Jackson Lamb and Diana Taverner face off in their most explosive confrontation yet. When a botched attempt to blackmail the Park puts Taverner on the offensive, it is up to Lamb to unravel one of MI5’s darkest secrets and put an end to it once and for all.” The series is officially Apple TV’s longest-tenured series, so fingers crossed we make it through the rest of Herron’s books (and get the J.K. Coe prequel of Tom Brooke’s dreams).
How Many Books Are in Mick Herron’s Slow Horses Book Series?
Heron has written standalone novels, short story collections, and several novellas throughout his career, but there are currently nine full novels in his “Slough House” series, listed in order of publication here:
- Book 1: Slow Horses (2010)
- Book 2: Dead Lions (2013)
- Book 3: Real Tigers (2016)
- Book 4: Spook Street (2017)
- Book 5: London Rules (2018)
- Book 6: Joe Country (2019)
- Book 7: Slough House (2021)
- Book 8: Bad Actors (2022)
- Book 9: Clown Town (2025)
While we wait for more Slow Horses Season 7 updates, be sure to catch up on our Slow Horses Season 6 coverage, including interviews with the cast, analysis, and more.