Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar returns to our TV screens in the coming weeks in a new police role, this time playing a retired singing detective in ITV's crime drama, Ridley.
The Co Fermanagh man, 64, is taking the titular role across four two-hour episodes alongside fellow Northern Irish actor, Bronagh Waugh.
Ridley has been written and created by Paul Matthew Thompson, one of the lead writers of another ITV iconic detective drama, Vera, and co-created by Jonathan Fisher (Blood, Hollington Drive, Penance).
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Dunbar, from Enniskillen, will play Detective Inspector Alex Ridley, who is retiring from the police after years of dedicated service.
As the frontman of Adie Dunbar and the Jonahs band, he will also be putting his singing skills to good use in his latest role as his character is a retired detective who also co-owns a jazz bar.
"I had been talking to people about doing a Sunday night drama. Jonathan (Fisher) and I had done a very successful series called Blood together for Channel 5 and then he came to me with the idea so I suggested putting the musical element into it," Dunbar said.
"I was ready to do something like that. It wasn't a question of making a decision. There wasn't really any toing and froing about it - I was straight in with Jonathan and we just started working on pushing it in the direction we wanted to go.
"Looking at the trailer and having been there and done it, I really hope we've hit a sweet spot with the audience whereby they're comfortable in staying with us for 90 minutes but on the other hand it's not twee in any way, it's quite visceral.
"I've always liked the idea of the singing detective anyway. Back in the day, I always thought that had a nice ring to it!"
In the show, Ridley's replacement is DI Carol Farman, played by The Fall actress Waugh, a former protégée whom Ridley mentored for many years and is now in charge of investigations.
When he's enlisted by Carol as a police consultant on a complex and compelling murder case, the investigation takes a dark and unexpected turn.
Turning to her old mentor for support, Carol is keen to access Ridley’s unique insight into crime-solving, which has served them so well in the past. With more intriguing cases to solve, Ridley will revive his formidable and successful partnership with Carol.
Dunbar, who is famed for his alter ego, Supt Ted Hastings, said it "wasn't a problem" to play another cop but he stresses that the character of Ridley is somewhat different.
"For me once I see myself out of uniform, it's a completely different character," he said.
"Ted is office bound and uniform bound, very tied and interesting, a dignified and formal character whereas this guy (Alex) is complicated and a bit gruff. You don't feel warmth from him at the start, naturally enough because of what's happened to him but I think that will progress.
"We've given ourselves a platform where we can progress his character and the series and see the development of all the characters. They've all got a backstory and somewhere to go and we can keep the audience alive with us by doing that."
Coleraine-born Bronagh, 39, who is also well-known for portraying the role of Cheryl Brady in Channel 4's Hollyoaks, said she jumped at the chance to finally work alongside Dunbar.
"Weirdly we had never met before this and normally in Northern Ireland everyone does know each other. I grew up watching Adrian on stage and in some very famous productions - he is our Ian McKellan in the north of Ireland," she said.
"So our paths had never crossed but the opportunity to work alongside him was really exciting. Adrian has been nothing but a mentor to me and looked after me.
"I had a new baby when we were filming and he was wonderful and helped guide me in my first time playing a detective. He very calmly steered the ship and made me feel like I could do it so I'm very fond of him and we're great friends now."
Filmed across Northern England, the Ridley cast also includes Terence Maynard (Time, Coronation Street) as DCI Paul Goodwin, George Bukhari (Years and Years, The A Word) as DC Darren Lakhan, Georgie Glen (The Crown, Call the Midwife) as pathologist Dr Wendy Newstone.
The regular cast also includes Bhavna Limbachia (Citizen Khan, Coronation Street), Aidan McArdle (The Trial of Christine Keeler, The Fall) and Julie Graham (Shetland, Penance).
Ridley will air on ITV later this month.
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