John Le Carré was an MI6
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Many know John Le Carré for his 1963 novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Spies have been the protagonists in many of his other works as well.
However, it was during a TV interview when the award-winning novelist left the world surprised. He admitted that he started working for the secret service when he was just 16 years old. He then went on to become a senior undercover operative in West Germany when the Cold War was at its peak. He joined MI5 full time after his teaching days at Eton and was then transferred to the MI6. He spent several years in Western Germany in deep undercover.