Line of Duty actor Brian McCardie dies at 59

Actor Brian McCardie - best known for his role as crime boss Tommy Hunter in Line of Duty - has died at the age of 59.

In a social media post his sister Sarah, also an actor, said he had died suddenly at home on Sunday.

McCardie recently appeared in the BBC drama Time, while he had also been involved in filming the forthcoming Outlander prequel Blood of My Blood.

His family said that he was "gone much too soon" and described him as a "wonderful and passionate actor."

Sarah McCardie told BBC Scotland News that the family were "devastated".

She said: "Brian loved his work and touched many lives, and is gone much too soon. We love him and will miss him greatly."

In a statement, Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio and executive producer Simon Heath said they had been "honoured" to work with him.

They said: "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.”

Louise Thornton, head of commissioning at BBC Scotland, called McCardie a "talented, versatile actor across stage and screen."

Writer and director Alec Bowman_Clarke described McCardie as "genuine, passionate, generous & funny" on social media.

McCardie grew up in North Lanarkshire and developed an interest in acting while at school.

He later lived in Rothesay.

He earned praise for his portrayal of gang lord Hunter in the first two seasons of Line of Duty.

Other screen credits for McCardie included films Rob Roy, Filth and The Damned United, where he played legendary Scottish footballer Dave Mackay.

He also appeared in a number of TV roles, including the mini-series Titanic, Agatha Christie adaptation Murder is Easy and Dundee-set drama Dog Days.