The cast of Line Of Duty has reunited for the first script read-through for series six – joined by new member Kelly Macdonald.

The Trainspotting actress will play Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson, the senior investigating officer of an unsolved murder, whose unconventional conduct raises suspicions at the anti-corruption unit.

She was pictured smiling alongside series leads Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar as preparations get under way for filming the BBC One crime drama.

It was announced that Macdonald was joining the show in November when creator Jed Mercurio said: “Everyone involved in #LineofDuty is thrilled Kelly Macdonald is joining us for Series 6, playing AC-12’s most enigmatic adversary yet.”

Simon Heath, chief executive and creative director of Line Of Duty’s production company World Productions, said: “The Line Of Duty team have always been huge fans of her work, so we’re thrilled Kelly has agreed to join us this series to pit her wits against AC-12.”

Macdonald was described as “one of the UK’s most versatile actors” by controller of BBC drama Piers Wenger.

The fifth series of the popular police procedural aired last year, with Stephen Graham in the guest lead as Detective Sergeant John Corbett.

Its final episode drew more than nine million viewers in May, making it the most-watched drama since Mercurio’s Bodyguard, which aired in 2018.