The Cast of Line Of Duty Prepares for a Final Season
Martin Compston, known for his role as anti-corruption officer Steve Arnott in Line Of Duty, has confirmed that the show will return for a seventh series. As he prepares to film the new season, Compston expressed excitement about the show’s upcoming conclusion.
Compston shared these thoughts while promoting his new Paramount+ thriller series, The Revenge Club, which centers around a divorce support group planning revenge. However, this conversation also came after the BBC officially announced the return of Line Of Duty.
Compston emphasized the importance of maintaining secrecy around the new series, noting that it is part of what makes the show so appealing. “I don’t think people want to know,” he said. “It’s kind of weird. People always go, ‘Is it this?’ and then say ‘Don’t tell me. Don’t tell me.’ I think people love the surprises and that’s one of the big things about the show, the twists and turns is what makes it appealing.”
He also praised The Revenge Club, calling it “so, so bingeable.” However, he believes that Line Of Duty stands apart due to its unique structure. “I think Line Of Duty is one of the kind of last staples of a show where you leave it the week in between. I don’t think we’ll ever drop all the episodes because it is that water cooler thing where people talk about our work during the week, come up with theories and build the suspense. I think the secrecy is a big part of it.”
The Appeal of Working Together
Compston also highlighted that the appeal of Line Of Duty goes beyond just the storyline. “I think you need distance from it. The other [series] went so mental that we kind of all needed a break from it for a bit, but I think we’re pretty sure we had one more in us.”
From a personal perspective, Compston noted the strong bond among the cast members. “We’re all really close, we’re all really good pals, so we genuinely have a really good time working together. We’ve been lucky the last few times, with The Revenge Club and stuff because you’ve got such an amazing team and it’s such a joy to film it.”
However, he admitted that Line Of Duty can be challenging when it comes to balancing other projects. “But Line Of Duty can ruin it for other jobs because you’re just with your pals all the time.”
A Personal Connection to the National Team
In 2021, Compston became an internet sensation when he halted filming of Line Of Duty to celebrate Scotland qualifying for the Euros. He shouted “come on Scotland” around the set, capturing the excitement of the moment.
Now, with Scotland qualifying for the men’s World Cup for the first time in a generation, Compston is looking forward to another potential moment of celebration. “With Scotland now having qualified for the men’s World Cup for the first time in a generation, and their matches in America coinciding with filming of the new series of Line Of Duty, I said similar clips could surface in the new year.”
“I’ll be filming Line Of Duty so maybe you’ll get another one of them,” he said. “But I’m definitely going to try and get to a game. It’s been a long, long time coming. I can’t miss it all. I’ve got to get to one game. I’ve got to experience Scotland in the World Cup, because who knows when it come around again.”
Excitement for the World Cup Matches
Compston also shared his thoughts on the upcoming World Cup matches. “Look, Brazil is the glamour game, I mean, you could potentially get a scuddin’ there. Playing Brazil in Miami in the World Cup, I don’t think it gets much better than that.”
He acknowledged the challenges of the group stage, particularly the match against Morocco. “Morocco is a really tough game. That’s probably toughest. And Haiti, no doubt will be a tough game, but if you don’t win that, I don’t think you deserve to go through.”
Compston expressed optimism about Scotland’s chances. “I think we’ve got quite lucky. I mean, it’s a tough group, but we’ve got really lucky the way it’s been drawn with Haiti first. So if you get three points on the board at first, and then you think, we just need one from the second two, four will get you through.”
