Robert Carlyle pictured armed with rifle in dramatic first look at Line Of Duty series seven
The Trainspotting star is pictured armed and in police uniform as the BBC reveals new details of Line Of Duty’s long-awaited seventh series, with three familiar faces returning.
Line Of Duty fans have been given their first glimpse of Robert Carlyle in action as the BBC crime drama prepares for its long-awaited return.
The Trainspotting and Full Monty star, 65, looks ready for trouble in newly released pictures showing him armed with a rifle and dressed in police tactical gear.
Carlyle is joining the cast for the seventh series of Jed Mercurio’s hit thriller, playing Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a veteran police marksman with a reputation for being a “gruff loner”.
And his arrival promises plenty of trouble for the anti-corruption officers at the heart of the show.
Who is Robert Carlyle playing in Line Of Duty?
Carlyle’s character is part of Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7), an armed police squad responsible for tackling dangerous organised crime gangs.
But the unit finds itself under intense scrutiny when its boss, Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator.
Gough is played by fellow newcomer Tom Weston-Jones, whose previous credits include Warrior and Sanditon.
The allegations set the stage for another potentially explosive investigation involving the officers who have made Line Of Duty one of the BBC’s biggest dramas.
Joining Carlyle in TO-7 are Laura Aikman, known for This City Is Ours, as DC Paula Beckman, Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin and Amy-Leigh Hickman as DC Nira Rashid.
Which Line Of Duty stars are returning for series seven?
The good news for fans is that the show’s three biggest names are all back.
Martin Compston returns as Steve Arnott, alongside Vicky McClure as Kate Fleming and Adrian Dunbar as the formidable Ted Hastings.
But things have changed since viewers last saw the trio.
Their former anti-corruption unit AC-12 has been disbanded and replaced by the Inspectorate of Police Standards, which will investigate what has been described as its most sensitive case yet.
Several familiar faces are also making a comeback.
Mark Bonnar returns as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden, while Owen Teale reprises his role as Chief Constable Philip Osborne.
Perry Fitzpatrick is back as DS Chris Lomax, with Christina Chong returning as DI Nicky Rogerson.
Carlyle joins an impressive list of actors who have taken major guest roles in the series, including his Trainspotting co-star Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Graham and Thandiwe Newton.
When is Line Of Duty series seven on TV?
The BBC has confirmed that Line Of Duty will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027, although an exact transmission date has yet to be announced.
The seventh series will mark the return of one of Britain’s most popular crime dramas, with viewers finally getting another chance to follow Arnott, Fleming and Hastings as they tackle corruption within the police.