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Line Of Duty Actor Martin Compston Hits Back At Allegations BBC Bosses ‘Exploit’ Real Cop Cases

Line Of Duty’s Martin Compston has hit back after BBC bosses were slammed for exploiting real police investigations into child abuse by featuring them in the drama.

BBC2 chiefs came under fire this month for after the show – their biggest success story for a decade – focused on a cover-up of historic child abuse.

But Compston, 31, below, who plays anti-corruption cop DSI Steve Arnott, insisted it is important for dramas to tackle issues that enrage Britain.

He admitted that when he first read the series script, which features a politician bearing resemblances to shamed MP Cyril Smith, he was left livid.

The third series, which reaches a climax this Thursday, has featured politician Dale Roach, whose case bears a striking resemblance to shamed MP Smith.

Compston said in an interview with The Sun: “Yes, that is deliberate. The writer of Line of Duty, Jed Mercurio, has this knack of writing storylines that tap into the public consciousness.

“It’s not a drama about that, but it is a drama with that brought in. And as I was reading the script I just felt myself getting angrier and angrier.

“This is something that the whole nation is angry about, these cover ups and these scandals of seemingly untouchable politicians claiming dementia for their crimes.

“There was one scene in this series where Steve walks in to see Dale, this Cyril Smith-type character, and we’ve just found out that he’s not fit to stand trial.

“Jed said to me: ‘Hit him with everything you’ve got, he’s the epitome of everything you stand against’. It clearly meant a lot to him.”

The actor, above with James McAvoy at a football charity game, added: “It is important not to preach to people, because this is a drama, but it is such a huge issue at the moment and we are shedding light on it.

“In fairness to BBC they took a lot of flak for some of those issues – Saville, the whole cover up – but they realise it is important to push these storylines.”

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