Beth Bailey
Date of Birth: Unknown
First episode: Series 9, Episode 1 Last episode: Series 9, Episode 8 Job: Junior Case Officer Status: Alive (decommissioned) Portrayed by: Sophia Myles Beth joined MI5 when she was 18 and was trained up by them, but was kicked out due to her inability to follow orders. Harry was the officer who made that decision. He saw how volatile she could be and that she wasn't mature enough to be a spy. At 22, she worked with a Colombian militant group as a way to anger her father, until she realised what she got herself into and left.But she returns to MI5, joining Section D in series 9. |
Beth is illiberal but principled and not at all establishment. She's opinionated and a provocateur who never plays by the rules. She moves in with Ruth, much to the elder Spook’s chagrin. Lucas has basically set Ruth up to spy on their new recruit. Beth believes Dimitri, to be her closest ally because they are same age joined MI5 at the same time, they’re both the “new kids at school”. Also, because Bailey knew Harry 12 years previously, she quickly feels very comfortable with him.
Beth first appears in the series nine première disguised as a prostitute in a freighter from Tangier, working to track Hussein Abib, a Somali terrorist Lucas North was sent to kill. They both escape the ship when Abib's men take control of the ship. Afterwards, Beth reveals that a Colombian drug lord built submersibles to smuggle drugs; because of this, MI5 learn Abib is using the submersibles to smuggle explosives to the Houses of Parliament. After they stop the attack, Harry instates her to MI5 officer.
In the next episode, Beth is tasked with going undercover to protect influential oil baron Robert Westhouse, after MI5 receive intelligence saying that the Nigerian government have hired a hitman to assassinate him. At a London hotel, a group of oil industry contacts are invited to a meeting with Westhouse, and while in the lift, are gunned down. Beth and one of the contacts, Jacob Chapman survive by dropping to the floor. The narrative of the episode switches between Beth, Lucas and Chapman, and it is later revealed that the gunman from the hotel are agents of the Colombians looking for revenge on Beth. After being ambushed at an MI5 safehouse, Chapman kills them, revealing himself as the assassin Section D were looking for. Lucas becomes suspicious of Beth's after some investigation and she is brought in. She reveals Chapman as the assassin and admits to working with him. Beth explains her subterfuge as "the way we used to work" to avoid any damage, but Harry tells Lucas that after the operation he wants Beth off the team. When Section D discover that Westhouse is planning to buy chemical weapons to unleash on Lagos Harry, Lucas, Dimitri and Beth go to intercept. Chapman is tracked down by the Nigerians and tips them off to the deal, but not before notifying Beth that they are on their way. Harry is mistaken for Westhouse, and as the Nigerians take aim, Beth pulls him to the floor, saving his life. When Lucas is promoted to Section Chief he reinstates Beth.
In the episode 4, Beth is tasked with turning Chinese diplomat Kai into an asset. After revealing herself as an officer for MI5, Kai walks away, leaving the team unsure is he will help them. However, when Lucas and Dimitri break into the Chinese Embassy, Kai phones Beth to warn them of a bomb in the building. After assisting them to rescue Dr Jiang, a scientist developing a revolutionary desalanation technique, and hand her over to the CIA Kai is given the freedom to live in London. In an act of patriotism, he has Beth take him to the Chinese Embassy and hands himself back to his government. This is the first time that MI5 have had an asset in the Chinese government.
Over following episodes, Beth goes undercover during US mediated peace talks between the Israeli government and the Palestinians. When the talks are under threat by a sniper and assassin, she helps the team to resolve the situation peacefully. In the season finally, Beth and Dimitri take part in a manhunt led by Harry to pursue a rogue Lucas and Maya Lahan. In a shootout with the two MI5 agents, Maya is fatally wounded causing Lucas to threaten to detonate a bomb in a busy train station unless Harry meets him, alone, at the top of a nearby building. After commotion at the bottom of the tower, Beth and the rest of the team are left visibly upset..
Following the events at the end of season 9, Beth is decommissioned by new Section Chief Erin Watts for her conduct during the Westhouse debacle.
Beth first appears in the series nine première disguised as a prostitute in a freighter from Tangier, working to track Hussein Abib, a Somali terrorist Lucas North was sent to kill. They both escape the ship when Abib's men take control of the ship. Afterwards, Beth reveals that a Colombian drug lord built submersibles to smuggle drugs; because of this, MI5 learn Abib is using the submersibles to smuggle explosives to the Houses of Parliament. After they stop the attack, Harry instates her to MI5 officer.
In the next episode, Beth is tasked with going undercover to protect influential oil baron Robert Westhouse, after MI5 receive intelligence saying that the Nigerian government have hired a hitman to assassinate him. At a London hotel, a group of oil industry contacts are invited to a meeting with Westhouse, and while in the lift, are gunned down. Beth and one of the contacts, Jacob Chapman survive by dropping to the floor. The narrative of the episode switches between Beth, Lucas and Chapman, and it is later revealed that the gunman from the hotel are agents of the Colombians looking for revenge on Beth. After being ambushed at an MI5 safehouse, Chapman kills them, revealing himself as the assassin Section D were looking for. Lucas becomes suspicious of Beth's after some investigation and she is brought in. She reveals Chapman as the assassin and admits to working with him. Beth explains her subterfuge as "the way we used to work" to avoid any damage, but Harry tells Lucas that after the operation he wants Beth off the team. When Section D discover that Westhouse is planning to buy chemical weapons to unleash on Lagos Harry, Lucas, Dimitri and Beth go to intercept. Chapman is tracked down by the Nigerians and tips them off to the deal, but not before notifying Beth that they are on their way. Harry is mistaken for Westhouse, and as the Nigerians take aim, Beth pulls him to the floor, saving his life. When Lucas is promoted to Section Chief he reinstates Beth.
In the episode 4, Beth is tasked with turning Chinese diplomat Kai into an asset. After revealing herself as an officer for MI5, Kai walks away, leaving the team unsure is he will help them. However, when Lucas and Dimitri break into the Chinese Embassy, Kai phones Beth to warn them of a bomb in the building. After assisting them to rescue Dr Jiang, a scientist developing a revolutionary desalanation technique, and hand her over to the CIA Kai is given the freedom to live in London. In an act of patriotism, he has Beth take him to the Chinese Embassy and hands himself back to his government. This is the first time that MI5 have had an asset in the Chinese government.
Over following episodes, Beth goes undercover during US mediated peace talks between the Israeli government and the Palestinians. When the talks are under threat by a sniper and assassin, she helps the team to resolve the situation peacefully. In the season finally, Beth and Dimitri take part in a manhunt led by Harry to pursue a rogue Lucas and Maya Lahan. In a shootout with the two MI5 agents, Maya is fatally wounded causing Lucas to threaten to detonate a bomb in a busy train station unless Harry meets him, alone, at the top of a nearby building. After commotion at the bottom of the tower, Beth and the rest of the team are left visibly upset..
Following the events at the end of season 9, Beth is decommissioned by new Section Chief Erin Watts for her conduct during the Westhouse debacle.