Robert Carlyle to play major role in Line of Duty series seven
The Scottish actor will play a major role in series seven of Line of Duty.
Robert Carlyle has been cast as a guest series lead in the upcoming series of Line of Duty.
The BAFTA-winning Scottish actor, who is known for his roles in Trainspotting, The Full Monty and 28 Weeks Later, will play Detective Constable Shaun Massie in the next instalment of Jed Mercurio’s crime thriller.
Filming for series seven of Line of Duty is set to begin this spring, ahead of the show airing on BBC iPlayer and BBC One next year.
The first new cast member to be announced so fair, he joins returning leads Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, and his fellow Scot Martin Compston.
Previous guest leads include Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Mays, Keeley Hawes and Lennie James.
The new series of Line of Duty will pick up with AC-12 after they have been disbanded. Now rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards, anticorruption work has never been more challenging for the team, with Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings assigned their most sensitive case so far.
Carlyle will play Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO) and veteran marksman, Detective Constable Shaun Massie who has been working within Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to tackle organised crime. Described as a “gruff loner” who “keeps to himself”, his otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically when his boss DI Dominic Gough is accused of being a sexual predator.
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Speaking about joining the series, Carlyle said: “Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurio’s work for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty.
“The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show. DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life.”
Line of Duty creator Mercurio said: “On Line of Duty we've been honoured by the glittering guest leads who've joined the cast over the years. We couldn't be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series 7 as Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie. I've been a huge fan of Robert's work for many years and it will be a career highlight to work with him. Robert always brings mesmerising power and depth to every role; I know viewers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what his character will do next, and why."
Lindsay Salt, the director of BBC Drama, described Carlyle as “one of our greatest actors” who is a “perfect fit for the phenomenon that is Line of Duty”.
Series seven of Line of Duty is written and directed by Mercurio, who will also direct episodes 4-6.
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