Line of Duty star joins cast of hit ITV medical thriller as series two begins filming

ONE of the stars of Line of Duty has joined the cast of an ITV drama.

The crime series was a hit with fans as the likes of Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, and Martin Compston had them gripped with the drama of AC-12.

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Now, another significant member of the cast has signed onto star in the hit drama, Malpractice.

Ace Bhatti, 54, had a starring role as Rohan Sindwhani in the fifth and sixth outings of Line of Duty.

In the show, he played the Police and Crime Commissioner for Central Police.

He has previously had significant roles as Yusef Khan in EastEnders, and Haresh in the Doctor Who spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Now the actor might be about to embark on his biggest role yet, as he is set to star alongside Helen Behan and Jordan Kouamé in Malpractice.

The pair will both be reprising their roles as Dr Norma Callahan and Dr George Adjei respectively.

But the rest of the ensemble cast is also full of familiar TV faces from a host of popular shows.

Victoria actor Tom Hughes will be leading the cast as he takes up the role of Dr James Ford.

His character is a psychiatric registrar who is working in a North Yorkshire hospital.

However, he will face challenges in the form of being at the centre of a brand new investigation.

Other names who have also signed include the likes of Selin Hizli, Zoë Telford, Blue Lights star Hannah McClean, and Top Boy‘s Seraphina Beh.

Filming of the follow-up instalment has started this week in Belfast and will continue to take place in the upcoming weeks.

According to RadioTimes, the series will follow Dr Ford (Hughes), whose, “personal life is a mess, and his colleagues might find him arrogant, but he appears committed to his vulnerable patients”.

The synopsis continues: “So when he finds himself torn between a new mother attending a routine postnatal check-up and the sectioning of a floridly psychotic woman during a busy on-call shift, no one could predict the terrible consequences.

Crime dramas on ITVX

Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.

• Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
• The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
• Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place  during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
• The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
• Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.

“As George and Norma uncover a hospital seemingly at war with itself, to what lengths will James go to preserve his position? Is he a doctor with a God complex or the victim of wider problems?”

Viewers were almost immediately drawn to the first series of the show, which followed the case of Dr Lucinda Edwards (Niamh Algar).

She was at the epicentre of a MIU investigation after one of her patients sadly died in the hospital.

BBC crime dramas

The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer. Here's a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.

• Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, a detective drama series adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and starring Peter Davison.

• Dalziel and Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.

• Death in Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.

• Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.

• Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.

• Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.

• Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a deviser of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.

• Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.

• Life on Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.

• Line of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.

• Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.

• New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.

• Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman’s war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.

• Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.

• The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.

• Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.

• Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he’s tasked to investigate while Wallander’s job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.

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