Vigil’s Russian Spy Has Finally Been Revealed

After five spine-tingling episodes, Vigil comes to a close on Sept. 26. The BBC One thriller has had viewers on the edge of their seats for weeks and with one more episode to go, it appears that the villain at the centre of all the sabotage onboard HMS Vigil has finally been unmasked. So, who is the Russian spy onboard HMS Vigil? And how did Suranne Jones’ DCI Amy Silva figure it out? Here is the lowdown.

How Was The Russian Spy Revealed?

Picking up where episode four left off, viewers join DCI in the immediate aftermath of Jackie Hamilton’s death. Up until her untimely death, Jackie had been a pretty unassuming character, except for the fact that she may have struck a deal with the Russians in order to release her son from prison. The price of his freedom? To kill Craig Burke (Martin Compston) to make way for Russian spy CPO Matthew Doward (played Lorne MacFadyen) to come on board.

Doward was tasked with helping Silva and Glover (played by Shaun Evans) to get rid of the toxic substance during episode five, however, when Glover’s suit rips and he is exposed to the neurotoxin, Silva is left to to the task herself. Doward tries to pocket a crucial piece of evidence – a note he’d written to Jackie – which makes Silva rightly suspicious. He knocks her unconscious and traps her in a torpedo tube. As the credits rolled, water began to rise around Silva’s head. Panic stations, everyone. Who will save her from the torpedo tube?

So Who Is Matthew Doward?

CPO Matthew Doward is the Russian spy onboard HMS Vigil. With hindsight it was clear to see, with Doward always lurking in the background, primed to strike when the opportunity arose. Thought Craig Burke didn’t die directly at his hands, it would appear he was the one who orchestrated the whole ordeal with Jackie.

Viewers weren’t alone in being shocked by the big reveal. Scottish actor Lorne MacFadyen told The Independent of his surprise:“When I auditioned for the part they told me I’d be playing a Russian spy and I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone. The cast didn’t know who it was, necessarily. I was keeping a secret not only from my friends and family and the public, but absolutely everyone. I’ve been able to keep shtum the whole time, and now it’s a big relief.”

Keeping his role a secret wasn’t the only big commitment that MacFayden made to the role. “In that back-handed punch at the end of episode five, I actually popped my shoulder out of its socket,” he said. Clearly, the excitement was as palpable during filming as it was to watch.