Adrian Dunbar, the 67-year-old Northern Irish actor best known for playing Superintendent Ted Hastings in the BBC One drama Line Of Duty, has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London. He described the honour as a “wonderful” and “full circle” moment, reflecting on his time as a student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he graduated in 1983.
Actor Honoured for Contribution to Drama and Emerging Talent
Dunbar was recognised on Tuesday for his contribution to drama and his support for emerging acting talent. Born in Enniskillen, he has starred in numerous TV series and films, including Ridley, The Hollow Crown, and Emily.
Speaking to the Press Association, Dunbar said: “For me, it’s a bit of a full circle event for me, because, of course, I went to the Guildhall in 1980. So, I came into the City of London, knew a lot about the city because I’m a bit of a history buff, and so to be here was just absolutely fascinating. To find myself then many, many, many, many years later getting the Freedom of the City, it’s kind of closure on something. It’s kind of wonderful, a wonderful thing.”
Freedom of the City: A Historic Tradition
The award comes nearly two years after he received the Fellowship of Guildhall School, the institution’s highest accolade. The Freedom of the City of London is believed to date back to 1237 and is granted by the City of London Corporation to celebrate outstanding contributions to London life.
Dunbar added: “The city is unique, the historical nature of it that’s so fascinating. All of those things really make it unique and special and it’s great to be part of it.”
Line Of Duty Season Seven: What to Expect
Dunbar recently finished filming for Line Of Duty’s upcoming seventh series, which will follow the anti-corruption unit AC-12 after it is disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards. The team will be assigned their most sensitive case so far.
Dunbar said: “Season seven I think is going to be pretty good. Jed (Mercurio) has written some fabulous scripts with lots of twists and turns. I don’t think we let the fans down.”
The actor was nominated for the best supporting actor BAFTA award in 2018 for his portrayal of the senior investigating police officer in Line Of Duty. He also praised Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, who plays a guest lead role as specialist rifle officer Detective Constable Shaun Massie in the new series, alongside returning stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, and Dunbar.
He said: “Robert Carlyle’s got a very, very interesting character. I think people are going to be fascinated to see what he gets up to. It’s a brilliant character, and he’s a brilliant actor. I think that’s going to be really fascinating.”
Acknowledgements and Future Projects
Following the Freedom ceremony, Dunbar said receiving the award was “truly special” and that he “cannot thank everyone enough for making this singular honour happen.”
Dunbar was nominated for the Freedom of the City of London by the chair of Guildhall, Emily Benn, as well as the former lord mayor of the City of London, Alderman Sir William Russell.
Benn said: “Adrian Dunbar is a Guildhall School great: one of the defining actors of his generation, thrilling us with unforgettable performances. All of us at Guildhall School are hugely proud of everything that Adrian has achieved since he graduated, and we are also very grateful for his ongoing support of the school and our students, helping the next generation of Guildhall talent to go on to thrive on stages and screens around the world.”
Dunbar is also known for Ashes to Ashes, Broken, and Silent Witness, as well as for co-writing and starring in the 1991 film Hear My Song, which follows the owner of a failing club as he seeks Irish singer Josef Locke to help bring business to his club. The comedy drama starred Ned Beatty and was nominated for a best original screenplay BAFTA award.
He recently made his musical theatre debut, playing Fred Graham / Petruchio in a 2024 production of Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican Theatre.
