‘The Gold’ Episode 1 recap: What happened in ‘To Be a King’?

BBC One’s new real-life heist drama The Gold began in the UK tonight!

From the creator of Guilt, the six-part mini-series dramatises the true story of ‘the crime of the century’ and the decades-long chain of events that followed the Brink’s-Mat robbery in 1983.

Watch the trailer here:

The impressive ensemble cast includes Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Charlotte Spencer (Sanditon), Jack Lowden (Benediction), Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!), Emun Elliott (The Paradise), Sean Harris (Southcliffe), Stefanie Martini (The Last Kingdom), Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), and Peter Davison (The Larkins).

The Gold will be released internationally on Paramount+ later this year.

Here’s a plot recap for the first episode, ‘To Be a King’, which premiered on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday 12th February 2023:

Six armed men have stolen £26m worth of gold bullion from the Brink’s-Mat security depot near London’s Heathrow Airport. First on the scene are Flying Squad detectives DI Nicki Jennings (Charlotte Spencer) and DI Tony Brightwell (Emun Elliot).

Back at Scotland Yard however, Flying Squad are not taking the case. Instead, long serving DCI Brian Boyce (Hugh Bonneville) arrives from counter-terrorism to take charge of the investigation.

Unable to dispose of the bullion, robbery ringleader Micky McAvoy (Adam Nagaitis) turns to Kenneth Noye (Jack Lowden), a businessman hiding a criminal sideline. Noye enlists Bristol gold merchant John Palmer (Tom Cullen) to help disguise the gold and sell it back into the market.

Meanwhile, South London wheeler dealer Gordon Parry (Sean Harris) and the respected establishment solicitor Edwyn Cooper (Dominic Cooper), set about laundering the proceeds from the stolen gold.

What happens next will change crime and policing in Britain forever, while impacting countless lives for decades to come.

Both seasons of Guilt are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.