Nicholas Blake
Date of Birth: Unknown
First episode: Series 5, Episode 1 Last episode: Series 9, Episode 1 Job: Home Secretary Status: Deceased (poisoned) Portrayed by: Robert Glenister The Rt Hon Nicholas Blake MP, was the Home Secretary for the Labour Party within the Spooks series from the start of series 5. In the opening episode he was nearly killed by a car bomb, planted by Michael Collingwood (who was leading a coup attempt) along with Adam Carter, Harry Pearce and Juliet Shaw. They survived thanks to a warning from Ros Myers, with only Juliet sustaining serious injuries. In series 6, he covertly ordered the Tehran train bomb, acting on false intelligence provided by Bob Hogan. Soon after a biological virus released from the train infected a man named Mehan Asnik. The virus was brought back to the UK. Luckily MI-5 managed to contain it after Blake negotiated with the Russians for an antidote. |
In series 7, when Section D are tracking an active Al-Qaeda cell that is planning an attack on crowded places in London, mostly markets. Blake at first refuses to raise the national threat level, stating that the British public need good news due to the housing and financial crisis. He is seen in the House of Commons, proposing a British Day as a national holiday. Harry reveals to Ros Myers that Blake is extremely patriotic and feels proud to be British. Later, he does raise the threat level and is seen in the Commons again, thanking MI5 for stopping the attacks with no civilian casualties, albeit two SO19 officers being killed. He makes a resounding speech attacking Al Qaeda, being met with roaring approval from MPs.
Harry visits Blake at the end of series 8, episode 2, to explain to him that Ruth didn’t die in series 5, episode 2, and to negotiate with him about the logistical aspect her status and allowing her to return to work. We don’t see these negotiations; the scene cuts out after Harry says, “Do you remember Ruth Evershed?” but Harry clearly wins the day for Ruth as she returns to work in the next episode.
In series 8, episode 6, he was forced resign from his position as Home Secretary when he was the centre of a political scandal that made out he was involved deals with the London Mafia. It quickly turned into a media frenzy but it turned out later the entire thing was a ruse made up by the Nightingale Group (a clandestine group made up of intelligence officers and political figures from various nations whose ultimate intention was to ignite a major nuclear war between Pakistan and India). He was succeeded by Andrew Lawrence.
In the first episode of series 9, Ruth reveals to Harry that Nicolas Blake had actually been a senior member of the Nightingale, who had ordered the bombing of the hotel that killed Ros and Lawrence, and that his resignation had been a smoke-screen to cover up his affiliation.
Harry visited Blake at his home in Scotland to take revenge for Ros’ death. He poisoned him with tainted whiskey, making it look like he’d had a heart attack. Before Blake died he expressed regret and sadness about Ros' death and commented that by being a member of Nightingale, he had a chance to change the system for good.
Blake had a wife, Julia, whom he mentions briefly in Series 9, Episode 1.
Harry visits Blake at the end of series 8, episode 2, to explain to him that Ruth didn’t die in series 5, episode 2, and to negotiate with him about the logistical aspect her status and allowing her to return to work. We don’t see these negotiations; the scene cuts out after Harry says, “Do you remember Ruth Evershed?” but Harry clearly wins the day for Ruth as she returns to work in the next episode.
In series 8, episode 6, he was forced resign from his position as Home Secretary when he was the centre of a political scandal that made out he was involved deals with the London Mafia. It quickly turned into a media frenzy but it turned out later the entire thing was a ruse made up by the Nightingale Group (a clandestine group made up of intelligence officers and political figures from various nations whose ultimate intention was to ignite a major nuclear war between Pakistan and India). He was succeeded by Andrew Lawrence.
In the first episode of series 9, Ruth reveals to Harry that Nicolas Blake had actually been a senior member of the Nightingale, who had ordered the bombing of the hotel that killed Ros and Lawrence, and that his resignation had been a smoke-screen to cover up his affiliation.
Harry visited Blake at his home in Scotland to take revenge for Ros’ death. He poisoned him with tainted whiskey, making it look like he’d had a heart attack. Before Blake died he expressed regret and sadness about Ros' death and commented that by being a member of Nightingale, he had a chance to change the system for good.
Blake had a wife, Julia, whom he mentions briefly in Series 9, Episode 1.