Line Of Duty Series 7 Odds: Brosnan Or Tennant In Line For Dominic Gough Role
Robert Carlyle is the first guest actor confirmed for Line of Duty series seven, and his casting has shaken up the markets on betting sites.
Series leads Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar - who play police officers Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings respectively - will return for the hotly-anticipated episodes, but fans have been speculating who DI Dominic Gough, a previously announced character, might be.
One thing we do know is that Trainspotting star Carlyle will portray Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer, in the next instalment of Jed Mercurio's hit crime thriller.
He said: "Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurio's work for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty.
"The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show.
"DC Massie is an extraordinary character, and I look forward to bringing him to life."
Brosnan Vs Carlyle II?
Carlyle's character Massie, who is described as a "gruff loner" who "keeps himself to himself", works on taking down organised crime groups, but his detached demeanour will "change drastically" when his boss, Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) commanding officer Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator.
Gough has been described as "a charismatic officer winning plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime", but the BBC has yet to confirm who will play the part.
Following Carlyle's casting in the police procedural series, Pierce Brosnan has emerged as the new 11/8 favourite on betting apps to take on the role.
Line Of Duty Series 7 Odds: Who Will Play Dominic Gough?
Actor | Odds | Probability |
Pierce Brosnan | 11/8 | 42.1% |
David Tennant | 6/4 | 40% |
Ewan McGregor | 7/4 | 36.4% |
Paddy Considine | 2/1 | 33.3% |
John Simm | 5/2 | 28.6% |
Tom Hollander | 3/1 | 25% |
Ashley Walters | 3/1 | 25% |
Tom Hiddleston | 7/2 | 22.2% |
Matthew Macfadyen | 4/1 | 20% |
Damian Lewis | 5/1 | 16.7% |
Jason Isaacs | 6/1 | 14.3% |
Dominic West | 8/1 | 11.1% |
Brosnan previously starred opposite Carlyle in the 1999 James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough, when the former was 007, and the latter portrayed Bond villain Victor "Renard" Zokas.
While Brosnan has been busy of late, appearing in the likes of crime drama MobLand, cosy crime film The Thursday Murder Club, and filming a Cliffhanger reboot, he would certainly be able to pull off portraying a charismatic officer and would be fantastic as Carlyle's boss.
One of Carlyle's best-known roles came in the 1996 movie Trainspotting, and his co-star Ewan McGregor is just 7/4 to join Line of Duty as Gough.
David's Dream Role
Several fans are keen to see David Tennant cast as Gough.
He would certainly have no issue acting out a charismatic character - having done so brilliantly in Doctor Who, as the 10th and 14th Doctors, as well as portraying demon Crowley in Good Omens - and he is no stranger to portraying one with a sinister side either.
He recently played cold-hearted Lord Tony Baddingham in Disney+ series Rivals and the sinister Ian Ventham in the Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club, opposite Brosnan.
He has previously put his hat in the Line of Duty ring, admitting he would love to appear in the series.
Speaking in 2021, he told Radio Times magazine: "I'd quite like to be a baddie in a Line of Duty season. That's a big gig, isn't it? I'm available."
It's not known whether he is still available, but Tennant has shortened to 6/4 to portray Gough, and he is just ahead of another of Brosnan's co-stars, MobLand actor Paddy Considine (2/1).
John Simm (5/2) is well-versed in playing police officers in Life on Mars and Grace, and Tom Hollander has practically built a career on portraying charismatic but tough characters.
The White Lotus star is a 3/1 shot to be cast as Gough in the new Line of Duty series, and he would be an inspired choice.
Get Pat Back
Another casting masterstroke already achieved by Line of Duty bosses was hiring Anna Maxwell Martin to play DCS Patricia Carmichael.
In series six, Carmichael was hell-bent on dismantling bent copper hunters AC-12, and it appears she got her wish.
While confirming Line of Duty series seven, the BBC revealed AC-12 (Anti-Corruption Unit 12) - the department where Hastings, Fleming and Arnott work - has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards.
As a result, Maxwell Martin is just 1/2 to reprise her role as the no-nonsense Carmichael.
Line Of Duty Odds: Which Stars Will Return For Series 7?
Actor | Character | Odds | Probability |
Anna Maxwell | DCS Patricia Carmichael | 1/2 | 66.7% |
Christina Chong | DI Nicola Rogerson | 8/15 | 65.2% |
Nigel Boyle | DSU Ian Buckells | 4/6 | 60% |
Owen Teale | Chief Constable Philip Osborne | 10/11 | 52.4% |
James Nesbitt | DI Marcus Thurwell | 11/10 | 47.6% |
Kelly Macdonald | DCI Joanne Davidson | 2/1 | 33.3% |
Ace Bhatti | PCC Rohan Sindwhani | 3/1 | 25% |
Thandiwe Newton | DCI Roz Huntley | 5/1 | 16.7% |
Tommy Jessop | Terry Boyle | 8/1 | 11.1% |
Shalom Brune-Franklin | DC Chloe Bishop | 10/1 | 9.1% |
Keeley Hawes | Lindsay Denton | 16/1 | 5.9% |
Craig Parkinson | Matthew "Dot" Cottan | 20/1 | 4.8% |
Other stars who could be set for a return include 8/15 shot Christina Chong (DI Nicola Rogerson).
She previously admitted that the cast had been asked about their availability, which sparked strong speculation that series seven was in the works.
Series six came to a dramatic conclusion when Nigel Boyle's character DSU Ian Buckells was revealed as AC-12's nemesis "H" in the finale.
However, some viewers were less than impressed with the ending to the H saga, and some don't think it's over yet.
Boyle is just 4/6 to reprise his role as the imprisoned Buckells, and Owen Teale is 10/11 to be back as Chief Constable Philip Osborne, who some viewers still think might be the actual H.
Also in series six, James Nesbitt made a brief cameo in photographs of character DI Marcus Thurwell, and it's just 11/10 he's back to portray the officer - possibly in person this time - in the upcoming episodes.
Filming for the new six-part series starts this spring.
* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.
Which character would you like to see return in series seven? Let us know in the comments below!
