The BAFTA-winning star of Trainspotting, The Full Monty and 28 Weeks Later will play veteran marksman Detective Constable Shaun Massie in the next instalment of Jed Mercurio’s drama when it films this spring.
Robert follows in the footsteps of previous heavyweight “guest leads” in the show, including Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Mays, Keeley Hawes and Lennie James.
He joins cast regulars Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston for the seventh series, which is scheduled to be shown next year.
Robert 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 seven 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.”
He added: “DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life.”
Jed Mercurio said it was a “career highlight” to work with Robert and added: ”On Line of Duty we’ve been honoured by the glittering guest leads who have joined the cast over the years. We couldn’t be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series seven.”
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.”
Simon Heath, World Productions’ creative director and chief executive officer, said: “It’s one of the privileges of Line of Duty to have the opportunity to work with so many actors I’ve admired over the years.
“As a young script editor starting out in the 90s, I was blown away by Robert’s stunning performances in Trainspotting and Cracker, so it’s a particular thrill to be working with him now.”
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said: “Sometimes a piece of casting feels so right that you just can’t imagine anyone else. Robert Carlyle is one of our greatest actors and the perfect fit for the phenomenon that is Line of Duty.”
In series seven, AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. In a challenging climate Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far.
Robert’s character is a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO), a veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups.
A gruff loner, Massie keeps himself to himself, but when his boss is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie’s otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically.
The first six series of Line of Duty are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
