Struan Loy is a British MI5 agent who works in Slough House, a department for agents who have made significant mistakes in their careers. He is of Scottish origin and is portrayed by actor Paul Higgins in the series Slow Horses. Struan was demoted to Slough House after sending an inappropriate email about his boss, Director-General Ingrid Tearney, and lying about it during an investigation. Despite his troubled work life, he is a family man with a wife and two young children, striving to regain his standing within MI5 while navigating complex and dangerous situations.

Trivia/Facts

• Struan Loy is a British MI5 agent who works in Slough House, a department for agents who have made mistakes. He is first introduced in Season 1 of the series Slow Horses and is played by actor Paul Higgins. Struan was sent to Slough House instead of being fired after making a big mistake. He had sent an inappropriate email about his boss, Ingrid Tearney, and then lied about it when asked by investigators.
• Struan is originally from Scotland and lives in Hackney, London. His address is 423 Middlesex Court, Hackney. He is married and has two young children, with one of them named Evie. Despite his job troubles, Struan cares a lot about his family and tries to balance his difficult work life with home.
• In the series, Struan gets involved in a serious situation with MI5’s Deputy Director-General, Diana Taverner. One day, an agent named Pierce takes him from his house and brings him to meet Taverner at MI5’s headquarters. There, Taverner manipulates Struan by using his wish to return to regular work. She convinces him to give a false statement about seeing Alan Black with Jackson Lamb, which helps her shift blame away from herself.
• This lie creates more problems for Struan, as it is part of a larger cover-up involving the murder of an undercover MI5 agent by a dangerous group called the Sons of Albion. Struan’s false statement is used to make Slough House seem responsible for the failure of a risky operation. Struan’s role in this event shows how complicated and risky the work at MI5 can be, especially for someone trying to fix their past mistakes.

Struan Loy’s Relationship with Other Characters

• Jackson Lamb: Struan Loy works under Jackson Lamb at Slough House. Their relationship is tense, as Lamb is a tough and sarcastic boss who doesn’t respect Struan much. Struan often feels frustrated working with Lamb, who rarely shows concern for his agents. Despite this, Struan follows Lamb’s orders because he wants to avoid more trouble at work.
• Diana Taverner: Struan’s relationship with Diana Taverner, MI5’s Deputy Director-General, is complicated. Taverner manipulates Struan by promising him a return to regular MI5 work if he helps her. She tricks him into giving a false statement about Alan Black, showing she uses him for her own gain. Struan is caught between loyalty and self-preservation in dealing with her.
• Ingrid Tearney: Struan has a troubled past with Ingrid Tearney, the MI5 Director-General, because he sent an inappropriate email about her. This email led to his demotion to Slough House. While they don’t interact much in the series, Struan’s mistake involving Tearney is a major reason for his current situation. It shows how one wrong move damaged his career.
• Colleagues at Slough House: Struan has a strained relationship with most of his colleagues at Slough House. Like him, they are all agents who made mistakes and were sent there as punishment. Struan doesn’t fully trust them, and there is a sense of competition to prove themselves. Despite sharing the same struggles, they don’t form close friendships.