Apple TV’s Slow Horses Season 6 Has “Slightly Different Flavor” After Showrunner Exit

Things will be the same but different when the misfits of Slough House make their highly-anticipated Apple TV return.

Starring Gary Oldman as the leader of the show’s band of cast-offs, Slow Horses became a huge success under showrunner Will Smith, but the streaming hit will have a new creative leader going forward as Smith is replaced by The Beast Must Die creator Gaby Chiappe. But Slow Horses fans concerned that sailing could get rough after the change of captains need not worry, says one main cast member.

Speaking in a recent interview with Radio Times, Roddy actor Christopher Chung predicted that audiences should be pleased with what Chiappe brings to the table, even if the results feel slightly different. “Yeah, I think so,” Chung said when asked if season 6 retains the darkly humorous touches that distinguished former showrunner Smith’s tenure. “Maybe with a slightly different flavor, but I think every season has a slightly different flavor, so I don’t think the fans will be disappointed.”

Chung spoke about working with Smith, praising the Emmy-winning writer’s feel for character and voice. “Will’s been such a strong voice – he has been the voice of the show for the last five seasons. What has been really great about having Will write our characters for us… is that he wrote in our voices, so it really gave us a lot of agency in what we decided to do in season 6; having that blueprint and that framework served us really strongly.”

Slow Horses star Gary Oldman also recently sang Smith’s praises, speaking in an October 2025 ScreenRant interview about the former showrunner, and what it was like not having him around. “He has a real skill and I had access to Will, so when I was reading earlier drafts of the script, and they were still in the process of being written, I could text or email Will, or get on the phone with him. He added, “So, that took a little getting used to, because there was an ease and a familiarity with him that you don’t have with new people coming in.”

Season 6 showrunner Chiappe won’t be the last new person Oldman needs to get used to, as Slow Horses season 7 is set to be run not by her, but by Ben Vanstone (All Creatures Great & Small). Slow Horses season 6 does not yet have a premiere date from Apple TV, but it’s likely to arrive in fall 2026.

Release Date

April 1, 2022

Network

Apple TV+

Showrunner

Douglas Urbanski

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