Spooks star Richard Armitage and This Life actor Andrew Lincoln are to appear in Sky1's adaptation of former SAS soldier Chris Ryan's novel Strike Back.
The six-part drama series, which will also star The Amazing Mrs Pritchard's Jodhi May, tells the story of two former soldiers whose paths cross again during a hostage crisis in the Middle East on the eve of the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Filming on the drama – part of Sky1's multi-million pound commitment to the genre following the Hogfather adaptations and Martina Cole's The Take – has begun on location in South Africa, with broadcast on Sky1 and Sky1 HD due in spring next year.
Made by production company Left Bank Pictures, maker of Wallander and The Damned Utd, it was commissioned by Sky1 head of drama, Elaine Pyke, and will be produced by Andrew Benson, whose credits include Prime Suspect and Hornblower.
Strike Back will be directed by The State Within's Daniel Percival and executive produced by Left Bank chief executive Andy Harries and Pyke.
The opening episodes, which are set in Iraq, have been written by Jed Mercurio, whose credits include Bodies and Cardiac Arrest, while Ryan is acting as series consultant.
Pyke said: "Sky1 HD drama is about trying to astound audiences, up the creative bar, and commission shows which make audiences love being Sky subscribers.
"Strike Back fits perfectly in with this. As with all Sky1 dramas, not only will it feature a gifted cast with a large popular following, but working with Andy Harries and Left Bank Pictures means an already crackling script will jump out of the screen. Shot in South Africa with stunning locations and high octane HD action sequences on a grand scale, Chris Ryan's best-selling novel will be a truly uncompromising, compelling, action drama."
Harries added: "It's brilliant to have a major player in the UK commissioning original quality drama. Elaine Pyke and Sky shared our enthusiasm for Chris Ryan's novel, and it is an exciting challenge to turn the action and adventure of his book into a thrilling must-watch TV series."
BBC Worldwide have secured the international distribution rights for the series.