Duty calls for Kelly
Kelly Macdonald joins the cast of crime drama Line of Duty as AC-12 returns to unpick another complicated web of conspiracies
“We’re all facing the consequences from last time. A lot went off that makes them question trust within the team.” Vicky McClure
You would have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of BBC One’s phenomenal smash-hit drama Line Of Duty.
The crime thriller has racked up a die-hard following who have been counting down to the launch of series six ever since the last instalment concluded with some pretty jaw-dropping bombshells.
This week the waiting is over and that TV-gold moment has finally arrived.
Set roughly 18 months after AC-12 discovered that the “H” they’d been so desperately searching for was not one bent copper but four, everyone’s favourite
LINE OF DUTY Sunday, BBC One, 9pm
crime-fighting team is back to nail the final corrupt officer.
But having been dealt a series of blows last time around – including when boss Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) was reprimanded for his questionable actions – the team is dealing with some serious repercussions.
“We’re all facing consequences from series five,” said Vicky McClure, who plays DI Kate Fleming opposite Martin Compston’s DS Steve Arnott. “The relationship between Hastings, Arnott and Fleming, there’s a lot that went off that could have made each other question the trust within the team.” And that’s before we even meet their latest opponent.
This time, Scottish star Kelly Macdonald steps up to the guest lead challenge as enigmatic DCI Joanne Davidson, who raises suspicion with unconventional decisions on an unsolved murder investigation.
And when she appears to hold up a convoy of vehicles heading to a building that could lead to a major breakthrough on the case, Joanne soon finds herself on AC-12’s radar.
However, rather than opening with huge stunt scenes, the first episode focuses on the show’s secret weapon – its complex but compelling plot, written by Jed Mercurio, and faultless delivery by the stellar cast.
Martin said: “There’s a lot going on. But it’s really exciting, like the show goes back to what kind of made it great in the first place. A lot of the drama takes place in back alleys and double-crosses and big interview scenes.
“There are a couple of big set pieces, which were good to do but I really feel we’re back to the essence of what made the show.”
Meanwhile, Adrian, whose catchphrases such as, “Mother of God!” and, “Now we’re sucking diesel” have become synonymous with the crime drama, reckons viewers who have been with them since the start are in for a real treat as they ride out the twists and turns.
He said: “The past really does come back to haunt us all in this series, one way or another. So it’s crucial, for those people who have been sticking with the series right from the get-go, who follow it forensically, there are going to be a lot of payoffs.”
“Before I’d decided to take the role, I bumped into Martin at a Scottish event. He bounced up and said, ‘You’ve got to do it, mate’.”
Kelly Macdonald