Being interrogated by dogged police anti-corruption unit AC-12 is an unsettling experience, but for Shalom Brune-Franklin, joining the cast of Line of Duty to play AC-12’s newest member was equally nerve-wracking!
As Line of Duty Season 6 starts on Sunday March 21 on BBC1, Brune-Franklin makes her debut as efficient new anti-corruption officer DC Chloe Bishop, who helps the team look into the actions of DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald). We chatted to Our Girl and Cursed star to find out more…
Shalom Brune-Franklin on joining 'Line of Duty'
“I remember receiving an email that said ‘LOD6’ and I thought, 'Oh it’s an audition for a show called 'Lod'. It didn’t click in my head that it was Line of Duty. I opened the email and I saw the words ‘Anti-Corruption Unit 12’ and I shrieked. I freaked out. I was over the moon to get the job! Line of Duty has so many people in it creatively that I look up to and admire. To be a part of that is quite unbelievable.”
Shalom Brune-Franklin on DC Chloe Bishop
“It’s a pretty great part! She's very good at her job, diligent and a key part of bringing about some justice. Like anyone starting a new job, she’s so eager to prove to her bosses that she was the right choice. She’s incredibly hardworking and we can see she’s really trying to impress. She’s on a journey to capture bent coppers!”
Shalom Brune-Franklin on swotting up on 'Line of Duty'
“It gave me a great excuse to go back and watch everything in bed with cups of tea and I smashed through it. But that made me more nervous for the readthrough. I remember being in the toilets and going to my friend, ‘I don’t think I can do this, they’re all in there, it’s weird!’”
Shalom Brune-Franklin on walking onto the 'Line of Duty' set
“I was such a fan of the show and it was such a surreal experience to get to walk onto the set of something you are already such a huge fan of. I remember walking onto set and seeing the glass box [interview room] and there was part of me that wanted to fan girl and scream. The other half was thinking that I had been hired to do a job, you need to calm down and do justice to the scene. I was quite surprised at how quickly I felt I was part of it but I still do feel like a fan girl!”
Shalom Brune-Franklin on the long scenes and tricky dialogue
“I don't think I'll ever do takes that long again, they go on forever, it's amazing and such a huge effort goes into them. Everybody's got your back though, Martin [Compston, who plays DS Steve Arnott] was always going, ‘You're fine, if you mess up, we'll just go again’. But I thought, ‘I can't be the person to mess up. I'm brand new!’”
When can I watch 'Line of Duty' Season 6?
The new seven-part series of Line of Duty airs on Sunday March 21 on BBC1 at 9pm and will also air on BBC iPlayer, where you can also catch up with the previous five series.
