Keeley Hawes reunites with Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio for new thriller Bodyguard

“I’m delighted to be working with Richard Madden and once again with Jed Mercurio, and the hugely talented team behind Line Of Duty,” Hawes said. “Bodyguard is such an exciting project. I can’t wait to get started.”

Bodyguard tells the fictional story of David Budd (Madden), a war veteran now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch (RaSP) of London’s Metropolitan Police.

According to the BBC, "When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful Home Secretary Julia Montague (Hawes) whose politics stand for everything he despises, Budd finds himself torn between his duty and his beliefs. Responsible for her safety, is he actually her biggest threat?"

The six-part series is made by Line of Duty production company World Productions for BBC1, and also stars Line of Duty’s Gina McKee, Peaky Blinders’ Sophie Rundle, Cucumber’s Vincent Franklin and Trauma’s Rowena King.

"I'm hugely flattered by the superb cast who've joined Bodyguard, led by Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes both of whom I’m delighted to be working with again, and I’m immensely grateful to the BBC and World Productions for their unstinting support for the series,” Mercurio said.

Madden added, "I’m very excited to be working with Jed Mercurio again and thrilled to be working with Keeley Hawes for the first time. Jed has created a remarkable story that resonates with the very heart of modern day London and real characters trying to survive in this world."

Filming has begun in London, with a broadcast date still to be confirmed.