Line Of Duty actor Brian McCardie dies aged 59
Line Of Duty actor Brian McCardie has died “suddenly at home” at the age of 59, his family has confirmed.
Best known for playing mafia boss John Thomas ‘Tommy’ Hunter in the TV crime drama, the Scottish star had also recently joined the cast of Outlander prequel, Blood Of My Blood.
His sister confirmed his death on X, writing: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Brian James McCardie, beloved son, brother, uncle and dear friend to so many.
“Brian passed away suddenly at home on Sunday 28th April. A wonderful and passionate actor on stage and screen, Brian loved his work and touched many lives, and is gone much too soon.
“We love him and will miss him greatly; please remember Brian in your thoughts.”
She said funeral arrangements would be announced in the days ahead.
No cause of death was given.
McCardie’s agent, United Agents, paid tribute on social media, writing: “We are shocked and so deeply saddened by the tragic news of Brian McCardie’s sudden death.
“He was an actor of such great talent who we were lucky to represent, and our thoughts are very much with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
A statement from Line Of Duty producers Jed Mercurio and Simon Heath and the team behind the hit show, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of Brian McCardie’s death.
“We feel honoured to have worked with Brian on Line Of Duty. Brian was an incredibly talented actor, and the lasting impact he had as Tommy Hunter is testament to the power of his performance.
“Off screen, Brian couldn’t have been more different from the character he played – he was warm, funny and charming. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”
With a career stretching over three decades, McCardie had appeared in numerous TV shows over the years – but it was his role in Line Of Duty for which he was best known.
Tommy Hunter, a criminal boss turned police informant, was one of the show’s original characters, who met a violent end early on in series two.
But Hunter went on to be mentioned in both series three and series five, and was a key player in the nail-biting police corruption whodunnit.
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McCardie, who grew up Carluke, near Glasgow, appeared in an episode of Outlander, playing Sir Marcus MacRannoch, before being cast as the chief of Clan Grant in the forthcoming Outlander prequel.
The show, which centres around the lives of Outlander character Jamie Fraser’s parents, is currently filming in Scotland, according to Starz network.
In Rob Roy, McCardie starred as Alasdair MacGregor, the brother of the title character, who was played by Northern Ireland actor Liam Neeson.
His other film parts include the 2013 adaption of Irvine Welsh novel Filth, which starred James McAvoy, and 2003 period drama Mr Barrington.
McCardie also had roles in 2019 Netflix series The Last Czars, along with prison drama Time in 2021, opposite Sean Bean, and Irvine Welsh’s TV series Crime in the same year.
He also appeared in Sky Atlantic’s Domina, set in Ancient Rome, where he played Roman statesman Cicero.
The mother of Cassie Ventura has told a court she felt “physically sick” when her daughter told her Sean “Diddy” Combs had threatened to “release two explicit sex tapes” after discovering his long-time girlfriend was dating someone else.
Giving evidence on Tuesday, the seventh day of the trial, Regina Ventura said she did not initially understand the email Cassie sent her in December 2011, saying, “The sex tape threw me, [Diddy] was trying to hurt my daughter.”
The email said Combs was planning to release two explicit videos of her and send someone to hurt her and the man she was seeing, rapper Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi.
Regina said the family took out a home equity loan and paid Diddy $20,000 to recoup money he had spent on Cassie “because he demanded it,” angry that Cassie was now dating Cudi.
She said the money was returned days later.
During her evidence, jurors were shown photographs of bruises on Cassie’s body Ms Ventura said were taken when her daughter returned home for Christmas in 2011.
Regina’s time on the stand was fairly brief, as the defence declined the opportunity to question her.
Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, who dated Cassie in 2011. Pic: Reuters
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: Day 7 – As it happened
Prosecutors say Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, forced women to take part in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances known as “Freak Offs” from 2004 to 2024, facilitated by his large retinue of staff. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty.
The rapper faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs and Cassie pictured in 2015. Pic: Reuters
Last week, the prosecutors’ star witness, Cassie Ventura, who dated Combs for over a decade, spent four days giving evidence.
Combs’s legal team has sought to show jurors that his relationship with Ventura was complicated, and while they acknowledge he was an abusive partner, and had substance issues, they say the sex acts described by the prosecution were consensual.
Read more:
Everything you need to know about the Sean Combs trial
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
‘Diddy wanted our bodies to shine’
A male exotic dancer nicknamed “The Punisher” also gave testimony, telling jurors that in the autumn of 2012, Cassie contacted him asking him to “create a sexy, erotic scene” Diddy, and using the pseudonym “Janet”.
Male exotic dancer Sharay Hayes, aka The Punisher. Pic: Reuters
Sharay Hayes said he went on to have eight to 12 more encounters with the couple, having sex with Cassie, while Diddy watched from a distance.
He described the hotel rooms as routinely being dressed with electric candles and sheet-covered furniture, and says Cassie told him not to “acknowledge” her husband, and to “try not to look at him and no communication”.
He says Diddy would often wear a cap, and he could not see his face, but he later realised it was the famous rapper.
“The Punisher” mentioned using a “considerable amount of baby oil” during the performances, saying “[Diddy] wanted us to keep our bodies covered, to shine”.
He later described the acts as “a fetish type thing,” and while he said he believed Cassie was fully consensual, he also said he “did occasionally see her sigh or wince” and said she would frequently look at Diddy “for cues”.
Paid between $1,200 (£900) and $2,000 (£1.500) for each performance, he said he was not called back after struggling to get an erection during one encounter.
He said he never saw Diddy use drugs or saw filming during any of the performances.
Car park dispute with Suge Knight
David James, Diddy’s ex-personal assistant, also completed his evidence and testified that he never saw physical violence between Cassie and his former boss.
David James, Combs’s former assistant. Pic: Reuters
James, who worked for Diddy for two years, said he left Diddy’s employment after he realised his “life was in danger” following a dispute in a car park with rival record label owner Suge Knight, which culminated in Diddy bringing three handguns to try to find Knight and his entourage.
He also detailed an altercation between Diddy and his personal chef, Jourdan Atkinson, and said he refused to file a police report after Diddy told him to say “Chef Jourdan hit him first”.
The final person to give evidence was a special agent responsible for planning the March 2024 raids on Combs’s Miami home on Star Island.
Steve Gannon showed photos of items taken during the raid, including sex toys, high heels and loaded guns, and explained how an armoured vehicle was used to break down the mansion’s front gate to gain entry while the family was away on a trip.
Combs has been held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since September and faces at least 15 years or possibly life in prison if convicted.
The trial is set to last for around two months.
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