Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar reveals the touching tribute he pays to his late father on the show

LINE of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar has revealed one of his character’s most famous catchphrases, ‘Mother of God’, is actually in tribute to his late father.

The actor plays no-nonsense Superintendent Ted Hastings on the gripping BBC drama, whose mission as the head of AC-12 is to catch “bent coppers”.

And while his character’s Irish-influenced phrases have become legendary, Adrian, 62, has revealed one of his most used sayings, “Mother of God”, was inspired by his late father Sean.

The Northern Irish star’s father died suddenly in 1979 from a brain haemorrhage while he was in his second year at drama school in London.

Speaking on the How To Fail With Elizabeth Day podcast, Adrian said: “The ‘Mother of God’ stuff comes from my dad who used to use that all the time.

“He would say, ‘Mother of God’ all the time. He used to just say ‘Mother’ and we know what he meant.

“So the ‘Mother of Gods’ are a way of saying thanks to him in certain ways.”

During the same interview, Adrian also confirmed that Ted is not ‘H’ that AC-12’s DI Steve Arnott and DI Kate Fleming.

The star said it was a “relief” knowing he wasn’t the corrupt police officer especially since his character conducts himself “to the letter of the law”.

Adrian added: “It was a relief for me, as I spent all this time playing this character and I always thought Ted had a sense of duty and a moral core,” he explained.

“And to have found out I was this arch villain . . . I would have been in real difficulty accepting that.

“Jed is aware of our audience and they know Ted has a sense of moral fortitude. I am glad he came out of it with flying colours.”

His comments come as Line of Duty viewers were left desperate to know who DCI Joanne Davidson is related to after DI Steve Arnott was given a file detailing a DNA match.

However, in true Line of Duty style, it was left on a cliffhanger with Superintendent Ted Hastings saying “Mother of God!” when he saw who her blood relative was.

Elsewhere, last night’s explosive episode saw characters were gunned down and strangled to death in jaw-dropping scenes.

The fourth episode of series six of the BBC drama was the most explosive yet, with DI Steve Arnott and DC Chloe Bishop deciding to grab solicitor Jimmy Lakewell from prison and take him to the police station in the hope he would reveal important information to them.

But as the convoy of armed police sped through the streets, they were suddenly ambushed by the Organised Crime Group, causing the white van Steve and Jimmy were in to flip onto its side.

Chloe and armed police officer Ruby “Jonesy” Jones rushed to help the men escape under heavy fire from the OCG, and just as Jonesy managed to climb up and open the van door, Steve spotted a gunman in a building behind her.

As he called her name, it was too late, and she was gunned down, with her death confirmed moments later as Chloe cried.

Despite Jimmy surviving the attack, when he returned to prison he was summoned to the cell of corrupt officer DS Buckells who acted as a diversion before criminal Lee Banks appeared behind him and strangled hi to death.

He then told Buckells that’s what happens “to a rat” before leaving the cell.