Shetland star returns to BBC's 'masterpiece' crime drama after ten years

The BBC has unveiled a host of new cast members joining the hotly anticipated new season of Line of Duty, which returns next year. 

Gavin and Stacey's Laura Aikman and This Town's Levi Brown have joined the cast of season seven, while Shetland actor Mark Bonnar will reprise his role as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden over ten years after he appeared in the series. 

They'll join the core trio: Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, who will reprise their roles as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings in Jed Mercurio's smash hit thriller. 

© BBC/World Production

Keep reading to find out who else has joined the cast of season seven. 

Who stars in season 7 of Line of Duty? 

A number of familiar faces have joined the stacked cast, including Tom Weston-Jones (Warrior, Sanditon), who will star as Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, leader of Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7). 

© Lee Malone

In season seven, Gough, described as a "charismatic officer who has won plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime," is accused of "abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. But is his case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?"

Meanwhile, the previously announced Robert Carlyle will play Specialist Rifle Officer DC Shaun Massie, alongside Laura Aikman as DC Paula Beckman, Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin and Amy Leigh Hickman (Ackley Bridge, You) as DC Nira Rashid. 

© BBC

Further new cast members include David Calder (Motherland, Rivals), Steven Elder (Prisoner, Toxic Town), Dominic Mafham (Vigil, Killing Eve), Sarah Andre White (What It Feels Like for A Girl, Rocks), Aimee Powell (Believe Me, Art Detectives), and Naomi Yang (Under Salt Marsh, Maternal). 

Who is returning to the show?

Mark Bonnar isn't the only Line of Duty alumni returning for season seven. Reprising their roles alongside Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar are Owen Teale (Chief Constable Philip Osborne), Perry Fitzpatrick (DS Chris Lomax) and Christina Chong (DI Nicky Rogerson). 

What to expect from season 7 

Fans have been waiting over five years for the return of the BBC's popular police drama, which has been hailed as a "masterpiece" by viewers. 

© World Productions/Steffan Hill/BBC

When we return to AC-12 in season seven, the unit has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. The synopsis continues: "Anti Corruption 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."

Series 1-6 of Line of Duty are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Season seven will arrive next year.