James Nesbitt has always been "slightly galled" that he's never been offered a part in 'Line of Duty'.
James Nesbitt
The 56-year-old actor has admitted he's never gotten over not being given a role in Jed Mercurio's hit cop drama, despite being from Northern Ireland where it's filmed.
James, who plays DCI Tom Brannick in BBC One's upcoming crime series, 'Bloodlands', which Jed executive-produced, told Radio Times magazine: “I said, ‘Come on, Jed, when are we going to get a chance to work together?’
“Even though 'Line of Duty' had been shot here for years I was never considered for it, which has always slightly galled me.”
Elsewhere, the 'Cold Feet' star hit back at claims he's "lazy" for always acting with his Northern Irish accent.
He added: “A lot of the naysayers go – because I always do my own accent – ‘Oh, he always does the same bloody thing.'
“But I would say that Tom Hanks is always just using his own accent too.”
Meanwhile, James recently revealed he was "paralysed" from the cold whilst filming 'Bloodlands'.
The former 'Murphy's Law' star couldn't speak due to the "bitter cold" that numbed his mouth, but he loved being able to film in his homeland.
He said: "It was incredibly cold, particularly when we went down to Strangford Lough. We’d transport crew, equipment, food, toilets, to these remote islands and it was bitterly cold, the wind really cuts you.
“At times it was hard to speak. My mouth would be paralysed and I couldn’t get my jaw moving. It was challenging but fabulous.”
'Bloodlands' tells the story Brannick, who aims to track down a legendary assassin after a car containing a possible suicide note is pulled out of Strangford Lough.
The series also stars the likes of 'Derry Girls' co-stars Ian McElhinney and Kathy Kiera Clarke, and 'Top Boy's Lisa Dwan, as well as Charlene McKenna, Lola Petticrew, Chris Walley, Michael Smiley and Susan Lynch.
'Bloodlands’ hits screens on February 21 from 9pm on BBC One.
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