Line of Duty’s Anna Maxwell Martin reveals real life inspiration behind ‘top b**ch’ DCS Patricia Carmichael
LINE of Duty’s Anna Maxwell Martin has revealed the real life inspiration behind 'top b**ch' DCS Patricia Carmichael.
The actress first appeared as the ice queen from AC-3 in series five of the hit BBC crime drama when she was brought in to question Supt Ted Hastings.
She made a smug return in episode five of the current sixth series and now Anna has opened up about where she drew inspiration from for her alter ego.
Speaking on the Obsessed With Line Of Duty podcast, she said: “I know people now like Patricia, people in the industry like Patricia.
"She’s dead nasty but they are the easiest people to play. I love it."
She continued: "I’m not socially confident or anything. When you play those people you have to come into a room and be like the top b***h... it’s quite frightening.
"Pat wants a cuddle but there’s no one... to give her one.”
Viewers love to hate Carmichael, and in the latest episode, they became convinced she is the elusive and corrupt 'H'.
At one point she hammered her pen on the desk four times - spelling out 'H' in Morse Code.
Morse Code is an alphabet that spells out words or messages - for example the distress signal 'SOS' - using a series of short and long sounds.
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But by tapping out four short sharp raps on a table, as Carmichael did, it indicates the letter 'H'.
The criminal mastermind - known only by the single letter - has long been thought to be at the heart of police corruption on Line Of Duty, and viewers are convinced it's her.
Line of Duty continues on Sunday, May 2 at 9pm on BBC One.