Line of Duty series 6: Scots star Kelly Macdonald announced as guest lead

Kelly Macdonald will star as the guest lead in the next series of Line of Duty, the BBC has announced.

The Scots actor will play Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson in the hit drama, with filming beginning on the sixth series next year.

Her role is as a senior investigating officer of an unsolved murder, whose unconventional conduct raises suspicions at the anti-corruption unit the show centres on.

Macdonald is best known for her roles in Trainspotting, No Country For Old Men, Boardwalk Empire and, most recently, The Victim and Giri/Haji.

Line of Duty writer and showrunner Jed Mercurio said: “We’re honoured that Kelly Macdonald will join Martin, Vicky and Adrian in series six of Line Of Duty.

“DCI Joanne Davidson will prove the most enigmatic adversary AC-12 have ever faced.”

? Kelly Macdonald will star as guest lead in the next series of #LineOfDuty. ? She's playing Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson, the senior investigating officer of an unsolved murder, whose unconventional conduct raises suspicions at AC-12. pic.twitter.com/nG99KaCppl

— BBC One (@BBCOne) November 19, 2019

Line of Duty, which first aired in 2012, follows the staff of AC-12 as they investigate their fellow police officers.

Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar – who are all confirmed to return in the next series – play the cops putting themselves at risk to weed out corruption from the force.

Previous guest leads include Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Daniel Mays, Thandie Newton and Stephen Graham.

Scots star Compston, who plays DS Steve Arnott in the drama, said: “Another magnificent addition to the Line of Duty team.

He added: “A huge part of the show’s success is the phenomenal guest actors we’ve had.

“Kelly Macdonald will be up there with the best of them, what a talent, what a career. Buzzing to get the tape started.”