Kingsman: The Golden Circle: Colin Firth confirmed to return as presumed dead Harry Hart in new photo

Hart was killed off by Samuel L Jackson's villain Valentine in first film The Secret Service

Colin Firth as secret agent Harry Hart in Kingsman: The Secret Service (20th Century Fox)

Colin Firth is returning from the dead to play suave spy Harry Hart in Kingsman sequel The Golden Circle.

The Oscar-winning actor has been snapped on set by his co-star, Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal, who posted a photo of the pair on his Instagram account, captioned “Hide behind Harry”.

Firth had been hotly-tipped to make his unexpected comeback after a promotional poster shared in April featured his broken thick-rimmed glasses lying upon a line reading “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”.

Taron Egerton returns in the lead as Hart’s streetwise protege Eggsy alongside Mark Strong’s Merlin, while Matthew Vaughn is back in the director’s chair, working from a script by himself and co-writer Jane Goldman.

Vaughn hinted last year that he had been “coming up with ideas” as to how he could bring back Hart, who was shot through the eyes by Samuel L Jackson’s evil billionaire Richard Valentine in first film The Secret Service. “If people buy tickets in America I’ve got a feeling we’ll figure out a way for having Colin back,” he said. “The opening of Kingsman 2 will have a sauna and the sauna door opens and out comes Colin. It was all a dream!”

While such a naff storyline seems unlikely (we hope!), The Secret Service did gross over $414 million at the global box office. Firth also told The Independent last year that he was on board with a sequel as long as it “stayed fresh”. “If it feels like you’re trying to squeeze something more out when it’s expired then that’s deathly but they can work if they’re a developing series,” he said.

Newcomers for the sequel include Julianne Moore as the villain Poppy, Halle Berry as head of the state-side CIA, Channing Tatum, Vinnie Jones, Jeff Bridges and a cameo appearance from Elton John.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrives in UK cinemas on 16 June next year.