Line of Duty has announced further casting news for the upcoming series and, to quote Superintendent Ted Hastings, now we’re sucking diesel.
The Jed Mercurio drama is returning to BBC One for a long-awaited seventh series next year, with Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar reuniting to investigate yet another dodgy cop.
The BBC has revealed that former star and Celebrity Traitors contestant Mark Bonnar will be reprising his role as ex Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden. The police officer played a large role in series two, having been one of two cops who survived an attack on a police convoy alongside DI Lindsay Denton (Keeley Hawes).
Denton was later convicted of conspiracy to murder and given a prison life sentence, while Dryden resigned from the police force after receiving a suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice over taking penalty points for his wife’s driving offence.
Now, the character is set to return for the new series alongside the likes of Owen Teale (Chief Constable Philip Osborne), Perry Fitzpatrick (DS Chris Lomax) and Christina Chong (DI Nicky Rogerson).
The BBC also announced that Sanditon star Tom Weston-Jones is taking on the role of Detective Inspector Dominic Gough – the award-winning leader of the Tactical Operations Unit 7 who’s accused of abusing his position to act as a sexual predator.
“But is his case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?” the BBC teased.
In February, The Full Monty’s Robert Carlyle was cast as Detective Constable Shaun Massie – one of the high-profile guest stars for Line of Duty’s new series.
He joins the likes of Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Stephen Graham and Thandiwe Newton whose characters have been investigated by AC-12 over the years.
Speaking about the new series, Carlyle said at the time: “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.”
Meanwhile, Gavin & Stacey’s Laura Aikman (PC Paula Beckman), This Town’s Levi Brown (DC Luke Tobin) and You’s Amy Leigh Hickman (DC Nira Rashid) will be joining the cast. Newbies also include Motherland’s David Calder, Toxic Town’s Steven Elder, Killing Eve’s Dominic Mafham, What It Feels Like for A Girl’s Sarah Andre White, Believe Me’s Aimee Powell and Under Salt Marsh’s Naomi Yang.
Creator and writer Mercurio said in a statement: “I'm honoured to be working with our brilliant new cast members, and I know the audience will be thrilled to see some much-loved old faces returning from previous seasons."
