Rupert Penry-Jones is back as a feature-length special opens the new series of Spooks
Raza Jaffrey is Zafar Younis
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Zaf is bright, sharp, funny and flirtatious, optimistic and full of ideas.
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He hero-worships Adam and loves to be in the thick of the action, excelling in undercover work.
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But sometimes his risk assessment is weak and his quick wit can verge on facetiousness.
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He is from a Muslim background but is not particularly devout. Sensitive to the possibility that either he or his culture is being patronised or misrepresented, he also despises those who use their religion as a form of special pleading or to engage in facile rhetoric.
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"Zaf is very good at his job," says Raza. "He's hugely ambitious, but knows how much of a sacrifice a career with the intelligence service is.
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"Although he never worked with Danny, he played a part in attempting to save his life [at the end of the last series]. This has made him even more aware of how insignificant and, ultimately, how expendable any one MI5 agent is.
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"He trusts Adam implicitly and the two have a great rapport. He doesn't always agree with him but he would lay down his life for him, just as he would for any of the team.
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"Zaf is proud of the life he has chosen, even if he knows it is a lonely existence. He knows how worthwhile his team's work is, and he's also motivated by a very strong sense of right and wrong. And also his car keys… and his girlfriends!"
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Raza Jaffrey's numerous theatre credits include Mamma Mia!, Twelfth Night and Bombay Dreams.
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Recent television appearances include Murder Investigation Team and Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee.
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