Liberte: Short film shines light on unsung British WWII secret agent Noor Inayat Khan
“Beautiful, striking and petite,” Noor Inayat Khan was “the unlikeliest of spies”.
An accomplished musician and children’s writer, described as “a daydreamer” by her friends, few would have foreseen that she would go on to earn the George Cross for her service to her country.
Liberte. Pic: Sky History
Now, 80 years after her first mission, the little-known Second World War heroine will have her story told in the short film Liberte, documenting her time as a British secret agent.
Actress and journalist Sam Naz, who wrote and co-produced the film, as well as playing the lead role, told Sky News: “I just couldn’t quite believe that here was a woman that looked like me, who had played such an important role during World War Two, and yet I had been taught nothing about her. And it kind of sparked something in me… I couldn’t shake her off.”
Naz, who has worked for the BBC, Radio 5 Live and currently presents for Sky News, searched out newly declassified files on Khan in the National Archives, visited the Imperial War Museum and retraced Khan’s steps around the safe house in Paris where she was held, as well as reading interviews from people who had known her.
She also visited the historic Nazis headquarters in Paris, 84 Avenue Foch, during the German occupation. This was where Khan was first held, and from where she twice tried to escape.
Naz says: “I looked at that building in awe, but it was impossible not to think of some of the horrors that happened in those makeshift cells in that building.”
At the time Khan was recruited as a spy, the allies were struggling to win the war, and Churchill was under pressure to come up with a solution.
A new spy agency – the Special Operations Executive (SOE) – was set up, and as the number of suitable men to send into key countries dwindled, women saw themselves recruited into dangerous roles for the first time.
As a fluent French speaker, and previous native of Paris (her family fled France when it fell to the Nazis), Khan was an invaluable asset to the resistance.
After first joining the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, she moved on to the SOE where she was given special training as a wireless radio operator in occupied territory and in June 1943 was sent out into the field.
She was the first woman to ever do so – all the female agents before her had been sent as couriers.
Khan’s new persona was children’s nurse, Jeanne-Marie Renier, but to her SOE colleagues, she was known simply as Madeleine.
Naz explains: “When you think of a spy and when you visualize how TV, drama and film have portrayed spies, she’s the opposite. She’s a woman of colour. She’s of Indian descent. She’s a Muslim.
“I really wanted to put her front and centre. I wanted to showcase her and highlight this remarkable woman who had played such a key role.”
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Liberte. Pic: Sky History
‘Unbreakable’ inner strength
At the time, the life expectancy of someone in that role was just six weeks. This was because the Nazis were able to pick up the radio signals and work out where they were being transmitted from. But that didn’t put Khan off, far from it.
She arrived on her mission, only to find that the entire network she had been sent to join – codenamed “Prosper” – had all been captured by the Nazis.
She insisted on remaining in Paris to undertake what has since been called “the most dangerous post in France” – becoming the sole British radio operator operating in the city and doing her best to help rebuild the network and bring in new agents.
But it was after being betrayed by the Gestapo and captured by the Nazis that her true grit and courage became clear.
Naz explains: “She remained as that key link to London at great risk to herself. Eventually, they caught up with her, but that kind of courage is remarkable.”
Khan was held for around 10 months, and eventually sent to Germany, but never once cracked under Nazi brutality.
Considered “a particularly dangerous and uncooperative prisoner” according to records, she was kept separate from other inmates.
Describing testimony given by her German captors after the war, Naz says: “They talk about how others came and went and some were very quick to crack… But with her, there was this inner strength that just was unbreakable.”
Her “conspicuous courage, both moral and physical” would later be praised in reports of her capture.
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It was that strength that Naz says was the most important element of the film: “Her resilience and her refusal to break under that immense pressure and turmoil that she would have gone through and being tested to the limit by the Nazis.”
‘Heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring’
Executed in the Dachau concentration camp in September 1944 along with three other female prisoners, Khan’s final word is believed to have been Liberte – the title of the film.
Five years after her death she was posthumously awarded the George Cross by the King.
With this year marking the 80th anniversary of her mission, Naz says it became more important to her than ever to keep Khan’s memory alive.
“I think drama really is powerful in doing that and bringing those people back to life for a moment on screen. And I think it just felt like the perfect medium to tell her story… I just hope I did it justice.”
Directed and co-produced by Christopher Hanvey, the film also features music composed in Khan’s memory by her late brother Hidayat Inayat. Her family has called the film “heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring”.
In 2020, Khan became the first woman of South Asian descent to have a blue plaque honouring her. It’s displayed on the wall of her wartime London home, 4 Taviton Street in Bloomsbury, London.
While Liberte may be complete, Naz isn’t quite ready to let Khan go. Her production company, Laconic Raven, is now developing the drama mini-series SOE about the Special Operations Executive which Khan was part of. The show will tell the story of five women, including Khan.
Naz says: “We’ve had SAS Rogue Heroes, which focuses on the brilliant work done by the men. But I think it’s time for the women to have their showcase too…
“It’ll blow your mind. And they’re from all backgrounds. There’s working-class women. There are young mothers who went out there. They’re incredible. And they all deserve their own time in the spotlight.”
Liberte premieres tonight on Sky History at 10.15pm and will then be available on NOW.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
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Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
Entertainment
Olivier Awards: US actor says ‘special relationship firmly intact’ despite Trump’s tariffs
British star Lesley Manville and American actor John Lithgow have won the acting categories at this year’s Olivier Awards, which recognise excellence in London theatre.
Lithgow, 79, played Roald Dahl in Giant, which is about the children’s author wondering whether to make a public apology.
While accepting his award he appeared to reference the current controversy over Donald Trump’s second term as US president.
The Conclave star quipped: “It’s not always easy to welcome an American into your midst, and at this particular moment, it’s probably a little more complicated than usual.”
He also told the audience at the Royal Albert Hall that the “special relationship is still firmly intact”, despite Mr Trump imposing tariffs on British exports to the US.
His co-star, English actor Elliot Levey, took best actor in a supporting role.
Giant was also named best new play.
Lesley Manville was best actress. Pic: PA
Manville, 69, was honoured for her performance in the Greek tragedy Oedipus at the Wyndham’s Theatre.
She said she felt “emotional” while accepting her statuette because it was a production she had “felt very strongly about being” in.
Manville, who played Princess Margaret in The Crown, added that she was taking an early flight to Dublin on Monday to do some filming, and would not be getting “much sleep tonight”.
Romola Garai was best actress in a supporting role. Pic: PA
Best actress in a supporting role went to Romola Garai for her performance in The Years, based on a memoir by French writer Annie Ernaux.
Garai, whose film credits include Scoop and Atonement, was nominated in the same category for Giant.
Elliot Levey was best actor in a supporting role. Pic: PA
Dame Imelda Staunton won a fifth Olivier, for best actress in a musical for the London revival of classic musical Hello, Dolly!
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button won best new musical, a best actor musical award for Lark Rise To Candleford actor John Dagleish, and the outstanding musical contribution award.
The annual event was co-hosted by British singer Beverley Knight and Pose star Billy Porter.
Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.
As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.
Pete Townshend
“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.
“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”
If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.
But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.
Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation.
Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.
“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”
Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.
For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.
Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.
“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”
Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.
“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.
“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”
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In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.
“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.
Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.
It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.
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