BBC hit Line of Duty confirms new detective for returning season in major “perfect fit” cast update

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The popular BBC police drama Line of Duty has announced a new addition to its cast for the upcoming seventh season. Robert Carlyle, famous for his role in Trainspotting and recently appearing in The Hack and Toxic Town, will play Detective Constable Shaun Massie.

The actor reacted to the announcement by calling the character remarkable and expressing his excitement about playing the role in the upcoming drama.

I’ve been a big fan of Jed Mercurio’s work for a long time, so I’m thrilled to be joining the cast of Line of Duty for its seventh series,” Carlyle shared. “The writing is fantastic and I’m confident the new series will be as good as everyone expects from this brilliant show.”

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Jed Mercurio, the creator of Line of Duty, announced that Robert Carlyle will join the cast for series 7, playing the role of Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie. He said they are thrilled to have him, continuing the show’s tradition of featuring excellent guest stars.

I’ve been a big fan of Robert’s work for ages, so getting to work with him is a real dream come true. As someone who also created Bodyguard, I can tell you he always brings something amazing to his roles – a real power and depth that just grabs you. I’m pretty confident viewers are going to be totally hooked, constantly guessing what his character is going to do and why.

Robert Carlyle starred in Netflix’s Toxic Town

Lindsay Salt, the BBC’s Director of Drama, praised Robert Carlyle as one of the UK’s finest actors and said he’s ideal for the hugely popular show, Line of Duty.

I’m so hyped – Kelly Macdonald is joining the Line of Duty crew again! Of course, Martin Compston (Steve Arnott), Vicky McClure (Kate Fleming), and Adrian Dunbar (Ted Hastings) are all back too, which is awesome.

Over the years, the BBC’s popular crime drama has featured a number of well-known actors as guest stars, notably Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Jason Watkins, and Daniel Mays.

The next season will see AC-12 replaced by a new unit called the Inspectorate of Police Standards. However, Arnott, Fleming, and Hastings will continue their work fighting corruption, and they’re about to take on their most challenging case to date.

BBC reports that Robert Carlyle plays Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a specialist rifle officer who works with the TO-7 unit to combat organized crime.

Massie is a quiet, solitary man who prefers to keep to himself. However, everything changes when his supervisor, DI Dominic Gough, is accused of sexual assault, and Massie is forced to react.

Martin Compston, the original star of Line of Duty, previously told Digital Spy what he was most excited about regarding the show’s comeback, and how it felt to reprise his role as Steve.

He admitted he loves wearing his waistcoat, and also really enjoys Belfast as a filming location. He shared that he, Vicky McClure, and Adrian Dunbar are very close friends, and it’s wonderful to spend time with them again. He described how putting on the waistcoat and doing the accent helps him get into character, saying he can really feel the character taking over.

We can’t wait.

Filming for Line of Duty season 7 is scheduled to start in Belfast in spring 2026. There’s no confirmed release date yet, but the first six seasons are currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.


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2026-02-19 13:52