Martin Compston reveals why his Line of Duty character always wears waistcoats

Actor plays DS Steve Arnott in hit BBC police drama

Martin Compston’s Line of Duty character DS Steve Arnott has become famous for his waistcoats over the years – and now the actor has revealed why he always wears them.

In the first series of the police anti-corruption show, Arnott was not only subject to kidnapping and torture, but also sweater vests. Compston decided to change his look in series two.

“Anything to get out of those sweater vests,” he told The Guardian. “We still wanted him in layers for the second series, just to look a bit different to the average cop in a Marks & Spencer suit.

“The waistcoats are partly because he thinks he’s Sherlock Holmes, one of the great detectives, and partly because he’s the overdressed prick at work, having all the office affairs.”

He added that he used to like wearing waistcoats in real life, but playing Arnott has “killed them” for him as it feels like he’s “putting on the character”.

Kelly Macdonald is the latest guest lead to join series regulars Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar.

Read more:

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• Line of Duty fans discover trail of cryptic Easter eggs in series six trailer, hinting at future plotlines
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She recently told The Independent: “It’s the dream job. It feels a bit like being the new Bond or something. Or maybe Doctor Who is comparable… I have close friends who have not been interested in my work before, and now they’re suddenly asking if I’m [the corrupt high-ranking officer] ‘H’.”

Line of Duty season six begins at 9pm on BBC One on 21 March.