ITV poaches BBC police drama Blue Lights lead star for their rival cop show

ITV has poached one of the BBC’s biggest cop drama stars to front its new detective series.

It’s an adaptation of the best-selling novel She Lies In Wait by Gytha Lodge which features likeable DI Jonah Sheens as its central character.

Taking on the lead role is Martin McCann who is known to millions of fans of Blue Lights as Acting Sergeant Stevie Neil — one of the biggest characters on the Belfast police thriller.

An insider said: “This is quite a coup for ITV because Martin is obviously a big star in a rival BBC drama — one that has been a breakthrough hit over the past three years.

“He has very much bagged a leading role as opposed to being one character in an ensemble — and She Lies in Wait promises to be a huge hit with a high-profile supporting cast.”

Ella Dacres will play new recruit DC Anita Hanson while DCI Banks actor Stephen Tompkinson returns to cop dramas to play experienced DS Donald Tudor.

Most read in TV

GMB CHAOS

Kate Garraway pulled off air & replaced after struggling through GMB segment

KILLER’S PAL

Big Brother contestant is pal of ex-private schoolboy who knifed teen to death

CROSSING OVER

Emmerdale signs Corrie star for harrowing sexual abuse and murder storyline

SUMMER OF LOVE

Line Of Duty star reveals he secretly married fiancee this summer

In a sinister twist, Aurora’s body is discovered in a hollow near where the teenagers had been camping . . .

AS filming for Netlfix’s new drama series got under way, no one predicted that actor Josh Finan would be seen cheering while standing on the back of a vintage Jaguar.

But we shouldn’t be too surprised – after all this is the reboot of Tales Of The Unexpected.

The Waiting For The Out star was pictured in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire filming the series, which is a revival of Roald Dahl’s classic telly show from the Seventies and Eighties.

He was joined on set by Naomi Scott and Clarke Peters who was looking dashing in a white suit.

Meanwhile the rest of the cast, appearing in other episodes, include Toby Jones, Nicola Coughlan, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West and Michael Socha.

The show is expected to drop on the streamer next year.

CHANNEL 5 has confirmed the air date for its new show Bomb Squad: Zero Hour will be September 30 at 8pm.

The four-part documentary follows some of the UK’s most highly trained bomb disposal experts who detonate or disarm thousands of deadly devices every year.

LINE Of Duty star Martin Compston wants to keep making travel shows because it stops him from sinking to the depths of reality telly.

The Scotsman, who is to front Martin Compston: Living Las Vegas, says he already splits his time between Scotland and Sin City where his estate agent wife Tianna is from.

He said: “I genuinely think as an actor I’ve done really well so far to avoid any reality shows and any f***ing panel shows. It’s just people screaming to get attention.”

And making the travel series, which starts on Channel 4 next Wednesday, September 23, has convinced him to stay in the US.

He added: “It’s a wonderful place, but I’ve always seen it as a bit of a stop gap. I thought we’re just going to get back to Scotland and get over this.

“But no, I really feel like I’m there for the long term now.”

MODEL LEOMIE ANDERSON is stepping down as host of BBC Three’s makeover series Glow Up – and she will be replaced by YouTuber NikkieTutorials.

The show follows aspiring make-up artists battling for the approval of judges Val Garland and Dominic Skinner.

WHO Do You Think You Are? wanted to dig into the past of comedy star
Alexei Sayle – but he said No.

However the Comic Strip and Young Ones star admitted he later
regretted his decision not to do the BBC One show.

He revealed: “I realised how popular the show was, so I went back to
them and said ‘I’ll do it now’ and they said ‘No. F*** you’.”

It’s not the first time he’s missed out on a big BBC show.

He told Live At The Roundhouse: “I did that with Star In A Reasonably
Priced Car (on Top Gear) as well.”

Maybe next time he should say yes no matter what it is . . .

THE NEXT celebrity to sign up for Stacey Dooley’s Celebrity Sleepover is set to give the documentary maker another wild night.

I can reveal Danniella Westbrook will welcome Stacey’s cameras into her home as part of her first ever celebrity version.

The EastEnders actress has put her wild child days behind her and recently told fans she was “coming back to life”.

She has embarked on an 18-month facial surgery journey including multiple reconstructive ops to correct her face following a decades-long battle with a cocaine addiction.

A source said: “Danniella’s past is well-known but few know the woman she is today.