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Vicky McClure (This Is England, Stolen, Five Daughters), Martin Compston (The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, Sweet Sixteen), Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Snatch, 24 Hour Party People), Gina McKee (In The Loop, Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill) and Neil Morrissey (Waterloo Road, Men Behaving Badly) have been cast to star in Jed Mercurio's Line Of Duty – a cat-and-mouse thriller which takes a probing look into modern policing, made by World Productions for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two.

Following one multi-stranded investigation over five hours, Line Of Duty sees Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) transferred to AC-12, a fictional anti-corruption unit, after a mistaken shooting during a counter-terrorist operation. Alongside Detective Constable Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), they are assigned to lead an investigation into the alleged corruption by a popular and successful officer, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Gates (Lennie James). While Gates cleverly manipulates his unit's figures, DS Arnott questions whether Gates's being made a scapegoat for a culture of institutionalised spin, or is guilty of darker corruption?

Writer Jed Mercurio says: "I'm hugely excited by the opportunity to set a drama in the controversial realities of 21st century policing. Line Of Duty is a commentary on the perverse bureaucracy that hamstrings frontline officers, but first and foremost it's a thriller.

"Lennie James is electric as DCI Tony Gates, a complex and elusive anti-hero, and a formidable antagonist for two of the most exciting young talents in British TV – Martin Compston and Vicky McClure – who play the relentless anti-corruption officers on his trail. Twists and turns are added by a star-studded cast including Gina McKee, Neil Morrissey, Adrian Dunbar, Kate Ashfield, Craig Parkinson and Paul Higgins."

Ben Stephenson, Controller, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Drama Commissioning, says: "Jed Mercurio has created a brilliantly imagined fictional police drama that feels remarkably prescient. The fine cast will reveal a complex set of characters who will shine a timely spotlight on modern day policing. The compelling series will continue ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two's commitment to original British drama in 2012."

Line Of Duty started filming this week in Birmingham and will air in 2012. Written and produced by Jed Mercurio (Bodies, Cardiac Arrest) the series is executive produced by World Productions' Simon Heath (United, Outlaws, Hancock & Joan) and Stephen Wright for the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳. Episodes one to three will be directed by David Caffrey and episodes four and five by Douglas Mackinnon.

Line Of Duty is a truly original piece that continues to signal ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two's confident new direction following the re-birth of drama on the channel, commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Drama Commissioning and Janice Hadlow, Controller, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two.

RM