Teasing Stephen Graham’s casting back in September, BBC One has confirmed that Graham will be playing John Corbett in the fifth series of Line of Duty.
Otherwise known as the ‘Balaclava Man’, Corbett and Lisa McQueen (Rochenda Sandall) are on AC-12’s wanted list, and set to cause trouble as part of a criminal syndicate connected to police corruption.
Set two years after the previous series, the hit crime drama will see the return of AC-12’s finest DS Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) and Supt. Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), alongside PC Maneet Bindra (Maya Sondhi), Gill Biggeloe (Polly Walker), DS Sam Railston (Aiysha Hart), Det. Ch. Supt. Les Hargreaves (Tony Pitts) and Roisin Hastings (Andrea Irvine).
New series regulars include Taj Atwal (In The Club) and Richard Pepple (Motherland), playing PC Tatleen Sohota and PS Kyle Ferringham, Susan Vidler (The Coroner), Sian Reese-Williams (Requiem), Ace Bhatti (No Offence) and Elizabeth Rider (Informer).
Series creator and writer Jed Mercurio will be returning to Line of Duty following his hugely successful drama Bodyguard, which brought in 10.4 million viewers for the final episode on BBC One, making it one of the most watched television dramas in recent history.
"After the hysteria surrounding Bodyguard, it's a relief to be back in the day job”, said Mercurio. “I'm delighted to be working with the old gang and welcoming our brilliant newcomers led by Stephen Graham and Rochenda Sandall."
The series was commissioned by Controller of BBC Drama, Piers Wenger and Director of BBC Content, Charlotte Moore who will also be presenting the Steve Hewlett Memorial Lecture in mid-October.
One of the BBC’s most successful dramas, the RTS award-winning series has been the subject of critical success, and regularly attracted an audience of higher than 7 million.
The hit drama is currently being filmed in Belfast and is due to air on BBC One in 2019.
For more info on Line of Duty check out the RTS Anatomy of a Hit event based on the series.
