Riz Ahmed conceived the idea for Bait after a friend told him 'the distance between your public and private self is the amount of shame you carry,' prompting him to either seek therapy or make a TV show about it.

Ahmed had been thinking about the show since the mid-2010s, drawing inspiration from specific personal incidents including a panic attack at a music venue, a racially-motivated beating from his childhood, and an attempted recruitment by MI5.

Despite the personal inspirations, Ahmed has downplayed the autobiographical nature of the show, stating that Bait is not autofiction and that Shah's pursuit of the Bond role is really about 'wishing he was someone else'.

The credits thank Jesse Armstrong and Chris Morris, who had previously collaborated with Ahmed on the 2010 satirical black comedy Four Lions.

Before writing the script, Ahmed met with James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli to seek permission to use the Bond name; she granted it on the sole condition that she not be referenced in the series.

Ahmed wrote the role of 'Pigtrick,' a talking severed pig's head, specifically with Patrick Stewart in mind and sent him a letter asking him to play the part; Stewart accepted, reportedly saying he'd 'never read anything quite like this.'

Principal photography took place in London in September 2024 under the working title 'Quarter Life,' with filming locations including Wembley, the Central Mosque of Brent, and the O2 Forum Kentish Town.

The show's soundtrack blends orchestral music, psychedelic 1970s Pakistani film music, Qawwali, '80s synth pop, UK drum and bass, and Bhangra, and includes an Urdu cover of 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' performed by Anish Kumar featuring Arooj Aftab.