Line of Duty finally reveals who's playing season 7's new 'villain'
The Trainspotting star will play a specialist rifle officer
Line of Duty series 7 is about to start filming. Robert Carlyle has joined the cast – and we finally know who’s playing the show’s mysterious new villain.
After the divisive end to series 6, Jed Mercurio’s police drama is officially returning.
Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, and Adrian Dunbar will all reprise their roles, still on the prowl for corrupt officers.
We already knew that series 7 will introduce DI Dominic Gough, an officer accused of being a sexual predator. Ahead of production kicking off, the BBC has revealed who’ll be playing him.
Line of Duty casts Grace star as series 7 ‘villain’
Tom Weston-Jones, who has appeared in Grace, Warrior, and Dickensian, will play Dominic Gough in Line of Duty series 7.
According to the synopsis, people consider Gough to be a “charismatic officer” who has won “plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime”.
However, he’s accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. “But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?” the BBC adds.
So, the question remains: is Gough the true villain of series 7, or perhaps he’s the OCG’s scapegoat?
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Other stars have also joined the cast, including:
- Laura Aikman (This City Is Ours, Gavin & Stacey) as DC Paula Beckman
- Levi Brown (This Town, Girl Taken) as DC Luke Tobin
- Amy Leigh Hickman (Ackley Bridge, You) as DC Nira Rashid
Mark Bonnar will also reprise his role as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden, returning alongside Owen Teale as Chief Constable Philip Osborne, Perry Fitzpatrick as DS Chris Lomax, and Christina Chong as DI Nicky Rogerson.
Robert Carlyle joins Line of Duty series 7
Robert Carlyle will play Detective Constable Shaun Massie in Line of Duty series 7.
The star, best known for playing Begbie in Trainspotting and his performance in The Full Monty, said he’s been a “huge admirer” of the show and Jed Mercurio.
“I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty,” he said in a statement.
“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.”
Carlyle is a “perfect fit” for Line of Duty
Lindsay Salt, the BBC’s director of drama, described Carlyle as one of the country’s “greatest actors” and a “perfect fit for the phenomenon that is Line of Duty”.
“Sometimes a piece of casting feels so right that you just can’t imagine anyone else,” she said.
Mercurio said he couldn’t be “more thrilled” that Carlyle will play Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie.
“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.”
In series 7, Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings will take on their “most sensitive case so far”.
“AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Anticorruption work has never been more difficult,” the synopsis teases.
Read more: Line of Duty series 7: BBC One need to cast THIS actor as show’s new bent copper
