Did this shocking moment in Slow Horses just drop the biggest hint yet about the next Bond?

Lauren MorrisThu, October 22, 2026 at 5:38 AM UTC

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**Spoilers ahead for Slow Horses series six. You’ve been warned.**

Slow Horses has just left its dedicated fans on a serious cliffhanger with its series six finale – and may have given away a major clue about the next James Bond in the process.

The spy thriller has followed the careers of a group of MI5 rejects, known as the Slow Horses and led by slovenly boss Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), since 2022, with one of its fan-favourite characters being Jack Lowden’s overconfident and ambitious agent River Cartwright.

While viewers are used to the show killing off its main characters by now, today’s finale may have gone one step further, with River appearing to have been poisoned in the closing scenes.

After managing to survive assassination attempts by Russian contract killers throughout the series, River returned to his grandfather’s house where, through the window, he could see former Slow Horses colleague and love interest Sid Baker (Olivia Cooke) waiting for him inside.

River Cartwright was poisoned in the series six finale (Apple TV)

With the pair having previously shared their romantic feelings for one another, a hopeful River heads inside, sets out some wine glasses and lights a candle while Sid appears to be in the shower. However, after moving a crow bar out of the way and noticing residue on his hands, he collapses onto the floor, struggling to breathe – having seemingly been poisoned.

So, has River Cartwright really died? Quite possibly. Those who kept watching for the first look at series seven would have seen that he was absent, while his death appears to be addressed by Lamb when Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves) asks him whether he’s heard anything about River. “Funnily enough, I got a postcard. ‘Weather’s lovely in the afterlife. Sunset’s to die for. Love and hugs,’” he sarcastically tells her.

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It would also be massively convenient for Lowden’s character to be killed off should the rumours be true that he’ll be the next James Bond. The Scottish actor, 36, is currently the favourite to take over from Daniel Craig in 007’s next outing, set to be directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve.

While Masters of the Air’s Callum Turner, Heartstopper’s Jack Barton and Wuthering Heights star Jacob Elordi are also in the running, Lowden’s Slow Horses co-star Oldman raised eyebrows in September when he claimed that producers had already decided who the next Bond would be and that his “fingers are crossed” for Lowden.

Earlier this month, Lowden’s wife, actor Saoirse Ronan, even commented on the rumours, saying: “Well, Gary Oldman thinks he’s James Bond. We’re kinda getting on with our life, to be honest. We have plenty of other things to be dealing with. So, yeah, it’s not really a subject that’s coming up in our house, to be honest.”

Lowden is a favourite to be the next Bond (Getty)

If River has in fact popped his clogs, it would certainly free up Lowden’s schedule to commence work on the new Bond film. The actor has been filming Slow Horses every year since it first began in 2022.

However, just because someone appears to die on Slow Horses, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re really six foot under. Sid Baker, who was seemingly “killed off” in series one, returned from the dead in the most recent series, so we know anything is possible at Slough House.

There’s also Mick Herron’s book series, on which the show is based, to consider – and according to the original material, River actually survives the poisoning. With Bond on the cards for Lowden though, it’s possible the Apple show could stray from the novels’ storyline.

It’s been a particularly bloody series of Slow Horses this year, with assassins also murdering ex Slough House employee Struan Loy (Paul Higgins), fan-favourite JK Coe (Tom Brooke) and ex head of the Dogs, Emma Flyte (Ruth Bradley), while Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar) narrowly escaped death with a gunshot wound to the stomach.

The Apple TV show will return for a seventh series, which is expected to arrive in autumn 2027.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”