Anna Maxwell Martin reveals Line Of Duty secret
The Motherland star confessed she hid her lines for the BBC police written in the police files on her desk.
What did you miss?
Anna Maxwell Martin has confessed she hid her Line Of Duty script in the police files on her desk while filming the BBC crime show.
In the police drama the Motherland star played the terrifying DCS Patricia Carmichael, who struck fear in the hearts of viewers, and the suspects she grilled in the interview room. But Maxwell Martin has now admitted on The One Show that she had prompts for her quickfire interrogation scripts — hidden on post-it notes in her police files.
What, how, and why?
Maxwell Martin played the villainous DCS Patricia Carmichael in the Line Of Duty, Jed Mercurio's hit crime drama about police anti-corruption unit AC-12. In the show she became celebrated by fans for her terrifying police interviews.
She revealed to The One Show hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp: "I don't know where this has got [out]. I'll never work again! I did learn the interviews. I want to make that clear to Jed Mercurio and everyone at the BBC. I did learn them but I did think 'There's a lot of papers and files on the desk, so I can just slot some things in.' A few post-it's listed around. That's what I did on the post-its, sometimes if I thought I cam't remember the start, I'd have a few words just to start me off. "
She added: "We had all the files the first season, and the second season the files were gone. And I had been relying on the files. So I walked in and had minor stroke, and then we started filming. I couldn't have any of my [prompts]."
Vicky McClure recently revealed her Line Of Duty co-stars would love to make a seventh season of the hit show. McClure starred alongside Martin Compston, Adrian Dunbar in six series of the show, which ended in May 2021 with the identity of corrupt officer and mole H finally revealed. The finale was watched by 12.8 million people and fans are keen for the show to continue. Creator Jed Mercurio hinted there may be another series.
What else happened on The One Show?
Maxwell Martin had some disappointing news for Motherland fans about the new spin-off show. The BBC has announced spin-off show Amandaland, focusing on character Amanda, played by Lucy Punch, as she is forced to downsize and move away from her affluent London suburban home following her divorce. The new comedy will feature Joanna Lumley, who plays Amanda's mother, and Philippa Dunne who starred in Motherland as Amanda's long-suffering friend Anne.
But Maxwell Martin shot down any hopes of cameos from herself, Diane Morgan and Paul Ready who play Amanda's friends Julia, Liz and Kevin. She said: "No I don't think Julia, Kevin or Liz are popping in. But I'll be really happy to see those two, because I really love them. And I think they are so brilliant as well. Phil and Luce are brilliant comediennes and brilliant actress, so yeah it's good."
Read more: Motherland
BBC's Motherland to get spin-off (Digital Spy, 2 min read)
BBC announces Motherland spin off just months after axing popular comedy (Wales Online, 2 min read)
Motherland Spinoff Amandaland Set At BBC (Deadline, 2 min read)
Motherland was written by Sharon Horgan, Helen Serafinowicz, Graham Linehan and Holly Walsh. Amandaland is written by Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz and Barunka O'Shaughnessy, produced by Sharon Horgan's company Merman
Maxwell Martin is currently starring with James Corden in political stage drama The Constituent at The Old Vic theatre in London. Gavin and Stacey star Corden had a successful career in the West End before he moved to the US to present The Late Late Show. He has now moved back to the UK with his family.
Asked what it was like working with him on the stage Maxwell Martin joked: "He's rusty. He is rusty. Im having to reteach him every day. It is exhausting."
The One Show airs on BBC One at 7pm Monday to Friday.
