UMVA has learned that filming for the seventh series of the hit crime drama Line of Duty has been underway in Northern Ireland, with its core cast members reprising their roles, but production has hit a snag after one of its stars was injured on set.
The incident involved Martin Compston, who plays Steve Arnott, being struck by an Airsoft gun while filming in Belfast, prompting a medical assessment before he was able to resume filming soon after, according to information obtained by UMVA.
Airsoft guns, which fire neither real bullets nor blanks, are commonly used on TV and movie sets as a safer alternative to real weapons, and production companies are expected to adhere to strict health and safety policies and guidelines, including having a licensed armourer present to oversee their use.
Despite the setback, filming has continued, with Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar also reprising their roles, and the new series is expected to be just as twisty and turny as its predecessors, with Trainspotting star Robert Carlyle joining the cast as the season's guest lead, Detective Constable Shaun Massie.
UMVA has gathered that the storyline for the seventh series is shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet, with Vicky McClure teasing in a recent interview that it's "unbelievable" and "so Line of Duty", and the addition of Robert Carlyle to the cast is a major coup, with McClure describing working with him as "a dream come true".
The return of Line of Duty has been highly anticipated by fans, who have been waiting for six years since the last series was filmed, and 15 years since the show first began, and with the core cast members back on board, it's expected to be just as popular as ever, with its trademark blend of gripping storylines and complex characters.
