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Kelly Macdonald says 'Line of Duty' attention was 'all a bit much' and she still hasn't watched it

Kelly Macdonald was the main guest star of series six of 'Line of Duty'. (Steffan Hill/World Productions/BBC)
Kelly Macdonald was the main guest star of series six of 'Line of Duty'. (Steffan Hill/World Productions/BBC)

Kelly Macdonald has revealed she still hasn't watched her series of Line of Duty and found the enormous fan attention around the show to be "all a bit much".

Macdonald was the major guest star of the BBC crime drama's sixth series, portraying the morally murky cop DCI Joanne Davidson as she investigated the murder of a journalist.

Read more: Unanswered questions after the Line of Duty finale

The 45-year-old actor told The Guardian she was overwhelmed by the public fervour around the show, which attracted record ratings last year as 12.8 million viewers tuned in for the finale.

“Oh my God, it was all a bit much for me. It’s just of such interest to everybody. And everybody’s got an opinion," said Macdonald.

Watch: Line of Duty cast members to get tattoos after finale

She added: "Everybody seemed to be watching it. I’m used to flying vaguely under the radar when it comes to things I’ve done. And it was a strange time with COVID so it was a shock to the system.

“I was warned by people I was working with. They were like ‘are you ready for this?’.

"And I thought I was, but it was more than I expected. I was very grateful for wearing a mask when I was out, I tell you that much."

Read more: Martin Compston doesn't know if Line of Duty will return

Macdonald added that she hasn't even watched the series, which makes her one of the few people in the UK not glued to the screen waiting to see the fate of the AC-12 team.

"If I don’t watch something at the time at, say, a premiere, it’s not something I’m going to go out of my way to do," said the Trainspotting actor.

Kelly Macdonald is seemingly the only person in Britain who didn't watch the 'Line of Duty' finale. (Steffan Hill/World Productions/BBC)
Kelly Macdonald is seemingly the only person in Britain who didn't watch the 'Line of Duty' finale. (Steffan Hill/World Productions/BBC)

The highlight of her Line of Duty experience was, of course, her opportunity to take part in one of the trademark AC-12 interrogation scenes.

In the penultimate episode of the series, around 30 minutes was devoted to Davidson being quizzed by the AC-12 team and revealing details of her links to organised crime.

Read more: Line of Duty and most searched for shows of 2021

"It was the scene that everyone kept talking about nonstop when we were filming, and I put a lot of hours into preparing for it," said Macdonald.

"I knew why I was there. And I knew that I was doing it. And I suppose it’s one of the most dramatic, emotional scenes I’ve had to do."

Kelly Macdonald relished the chance to take part in a 'Line of Duty' interrogation scene. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Kelly Macdonald relished the chance to take part in a 'Line of Duty' interrogation scene. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

The sixth — and possibly final — series of Line of Duty received mixed reviews from viewers and critics, with many disappointed by the ultimate revelation of the identity of kingpin H, aka The Fourth Man.

Creator Jed Mercurio has since defended the execution of the finale and teased that there might yet be another series of the show.

Read more: Anna Maxwell Martin gives her verdict on Line of Duty finale

He has been bullish in his defence of the show's divisive reception and snapped at one reporter who asked about the show's future, while calling a critical journalist a "f***ing p***k" on social media.

Mercurio's newest project as executive producer, which sees him join forces again with Line of Duty star Vicky McClure, is police bomb disposal thriller Trigger Point.

Watch: Jed Mercurio dropped big H hint in Line of Duty's first series