Robert Carlyle Joins Line Of Duty Season 7 Cast
Robert Carlye has been announced as a new addition to the cast of Line Of Duty ahead of production beginning on the much-hyped seventh season.
On Thursday morning, the BBC announced that the Trainspotting actor will play a new detective constable character, Shaun Massie, when the award-winning crime drama returns to our screens next year.
“Having been a huge admirer of [Line Of Duty creator] Jed Mercurio’s work for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series seven of Line Of Duty,” he enthused.
“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.”
Robert’s other work includes his Bafta-winning performance in The Full Monty, an Emmy-nominated stint in the miniseries Human Trafficking, the horror sequel 28 Weeks Later and the family fantasy drama Once Upon A Time, in which he played Rumplestiltskin.
More recently, he’s appeared in the TV series Toxic Town and The Hack, as well as Danny Boyle’s Yesterday, making an uncredited cameo as John Lennon.
Earlier this week, The Sun reported that the next season of Line Of Duty would once again focus on the mysterious “H” after many viewers were unimpressed with how things played out in the most recent finale.
The BBC declined to comment when contacted about this by HuffPost UK.
Filming on the new episodes of Line Of Duty is due to get underway in the spring, with the finished product airing on BBC One in 2027, six years since the most recent instalments had the whole nation gripped.
Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar will all reprise their roles from the first six seasons in the new episodes, in which Robert is listed in an official press release as the new “guest series lead”.
Showrunner Jed 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 seven 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.”
He added: “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.”
The first six seasons of Line Of Duty are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.