Robert Carlyle to guest lead the new series of Line of Duty

He'll play Detective Constable Shaun Massie.

Ahead of the upcoming seventh series of Jed Mercurio's Line of Duty, BBC One has announced that Robert Carlyle has been cast as guest series lead, playing Detective Constable Shaun Massie.

As previously announced, in series seven AC-12 have been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far.

Detective Constable Shaun Massie 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, TO-7's commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie's otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically.

Robert Carlyle will join returning series leads Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, and is is the first new cast member to be announced for series seven. He follows in the footsteps of previous Line of Duty guest series leads Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Mays, Keeley Hawes and Lennie James.

On joining Line of Duty, Robert Carlyle 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 7 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. DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life."

To which Jed Mercurio, added "On Line of Duty we've been honoured by the glittering guest leads who've joined the cast over the years. We couldn't be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series 7 as Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie. I've been a huge fan of Robert's work for many years and it will be a career highlight to work with him. 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."

Made by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, the new series of Line of Duty is written and created by Jed Mercurio, who will also direct episodes 4-6, and Jennie Darnell will direct the first three episodes. It'll be produced by Ken Horn and executive produced by Jed Mercurio, Simon Heath for World Productions and Nick Lambon for the BBC.

Line of Duty will once again film in Belfast and is made with support from Northern Ireland Screen.

Speaking ahead of the new series, Simon Heath, World Productions’ CEO and Creative Director, 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."

To which Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, added "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."

Line of Duty returns in 2027 on BBC One