Line of Duty star joins cast of rival ITV crime drama as series four return date is confirmed

CRIME solving supremos McDonald and Dodds are set to return to our screens this month – and there will be a familiar face joining the cast.

Lead actors Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia are set to reprise their roles for the fourth series, which starts on Sunday, July 21, at 8pm on ITV1.

BBC

ITV

BBC

Set in picturesque Bath, the show pairs feisty DCI McDonald (Gouveia), who has transferred from London’s Met Police, with the unassuming DS Dodds (Watkins), who has always been happy staying out of the limelight.

Despite starting off being poles apart, the duo are surprisingly effective together in solving crime and become fast friends.

The new series is set to be just as gripping, with Line of Duty’s Ace Bhatti making an appearance.

Bhatti, 54, is known to millions as the suspicion-raising police commissioner Rohan Sindwhani.

For his latest role, he stars as character George Sharma in a gripping feature-length episode that finds McDonald and Dodds discovering the body of a woman who has been missing for more than 35 years, lying dead in her apartment.

Other guests this series include Lost In Space actor Toby Stephens and pop star Pixie Lott in her first acting role in more than a decade.

The Voice Kids judge Pixie, 32, last starred in the Inbetweeners Movie, which was released in 2011.

Gentleman Jack actress Lydia Leonard, Catastophe’s Daniel Lapaine, Dipo Ola of Landscapers and John Gordon Sinclair from Gregory’s Girl round off the cast.

World on Fire star Bhavik C Pankhania joins the line-up permanently as DC Lee.

Fan favourite Claire Skinner will also be back as Chief Superintendent Ormond, while Charlie Chambers returns as DC Goldie.

The new series will comprise of three, two-hour films giving fans plenty to sink their teeth into.

Gouveia has revealed that this series will ‘break’ the format of previous episodes and offer something different.

She told Radio Times magazine: “Now that we have the format, it’s fun to break it a little bit, which is what we do in the new series.

“To keep bringing in young and hungry directors is really important.”

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.

McDonald and Dodds returns on Sunday, July 21, 8pm on ITV1