In an exclusive new interview, acclaimed actor Tom Hiddleston has opened up about the intense pressure of delivering a second series of the hit BBC drama The Night Manager, his upcoming Marvel return, and his surprising television ambitions – including a potential turn on Strictly Come Dancing.
A Decade Later: The Night Manager Returns Bigger and Bolder
Speaking ahead of the new series' premiere, Hiddleston, 44, confessed that the team felt a significant weight of expectation. "We set a high standard for ourselves. We knew it had to be bigger, bolder, deeper and we had to risk more," the Golden Globe winner told the Mirror. He emphasised that creating six hours of premium television is a demanding process, costing dearly "in terms of spirit."
The new series, arriving a full decade after the first, sees Hiddleston's character, Jonathan Pine, adopt a new alias – Alex Goodwin. Now running a surveillance team of 'night owls' monitoring London's elite venues for terror threats, Pine is swiftly drawn into a dangerous live operation in Colombia. There, he must infiltrate a guerrilla army training scheme, posing as a wealthy financier named Matthew Ellis.
Hiddleston, who famously bared all in the first series, remains captivated by the complexity of John Le Carré's creation. "On the surface he is immaculate, charming, collected, capable and calm," he said of Pine. "But he had also been a British soldier... There is this tension between the still water of this immaculate, pristine face and inside a heart that is on fire with moral courage and solitude and pain and trauma."
Loki's Comeback and a New Chapter of Fatherhood
This year marks a major return for Hiddleston to another iconic role. He will once again don the horns of Loki in the upcoming Marvel film Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December 2026. The star-studded cast includes legends Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart. "It was amazing to be in that ensemble," Hiddleston shared, describing encounters on set as "pinch me moments."
Off-screen, the actor's life has transformed significantly since the first series of The Night Manager. He welcomed his second child last month with his fiancée, actress Zawe Ashton. The couple, who met starring in 2019's West End play Betrayal and became engaged in 2022, had their first child later that same year. Hiddleston, once describing fatherhood as "the most important thing I will ever do," reflected on how he has changed more than his character Pine over the last ten turbulent years.
"Who has changed more, Jonathan Pine or Tom Hiddleston? Probably Tom Hiddleston I would think," he mused. "We have all been through those years... The world is more fragmented and uncertain."
From The Traitors to the Glitterball: Hiddleston's TV Passions
Beyond his own projects, Hiddleston revealed himself to be an avid fan of British television, expressing a keen desire to participate in two of the UK's biggest entertainment shows. "I would do Strictly or The Traitors," he confided.
"We are big fans of Strictly in our house. It's very wholesome and emotional," he said, also praising the celebrity edition of The Traitors for capturing the nation's attention like a major sporting event. His admission will undoubtedly fuel speculation that the suave star could one day take to the ballroom floor.
Looking further ahead, Hiddleston confirmed that a third series of The Night Manager is already in development, continuing with the blessing of the late John Le Carré's family. "His sons said 'Dad loved the show and he would want us to do more'," Hiddleston revealed. "It was him making a legacy to leave to all of us."
For now, audiences can anticipate the sophisticated thrills of Pine's next mission when The Night Manager returns to BBC One, promising a series that is every bit as stylish and tense as fans remember, but with higher stakes and deeper emotional resonance.
