Midlands Heroes: Line of Duty writer Jed Mercurio is Cannock to the core

Mercurio was born in Nelson, Lancashire, but grew up in Cannock. His parents were Italian immigrants, with his father working as a coal miner. 

He studied at the University of Birmingham Medical School. During his third year, in August 1988, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Medical Branch. He received flying training with the University Air Squadron, with the intention of specialising in aviation medicine. He was promoted to flying officer in June 1991, but resigned his commission in February 1992.

During practice as a hospital physician, Mercurio answered an advertisement in the British Medical Journal and, despite little writing experience, scripted the BBC medical drama Cardiac Arrest under the pseudonym John MacUre. Subsequently he retired from medicine to pursue a writing career under his own name.

These days, he is best known as the creative force behind hit BBC series Line of Duty.

Also the writer and producer behind fellow BBC hit Bodyguard, Mercurio was made an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to television drama.

Cardiac Arrest - starring Helen Baxendale and Andrew Lancel - launched in 1994 and sparked controversy due to its realistic depiction of hospital life, topping a poll of UK medical professionals as the most realistic medical drama of all time.

Mercurio left medicine behind but his medical background has continued to influence his writing, with his series Bodies (adapted from his first novel) starring Max Beesley, and Critical, starring Lennie James, both set inside hospitals.

But it was Line Of Duty, which began on the BBC in 2012, which propelled Mercurio to household name status.

The series, following the investigations of police anti-corruption unit AC-12, has been a huge hit and attracted guest stars including Keeley Hawes, Thandie Newton and Stephen Graham.

Its viewership grew over time and the show was moved from BBC Two to a prime slot on BBC One for its fourth series.

But even the success of Line Of Duty paled in comparison to the juggernaut that was Bodyguard, starring Richard Madden as the police officer assigned to protect the Home Secretary, played by Hawes.

The 2018 show became the most-watched drama series of the decade, with the finale drawing a TV audience of 14.3 million.

It was also a hit in the US and landed Mercurio two Emmy nominations.

Line Of Duty also landed in the top five most-watched dramas, with its nail-biting fifth series finale attracting a TV audience of 12.1 million.

Mercurio is also responsible for series including The Grimleys, Strike Back, and Invasion: Earth and his books include Bodies, The Ascent, American Adulterer and The Penguin Expedition.

 Mercurio has said he always tries to achieve a perfect gender balance in his work.

The writer has revealed he prefers a 50/50 mix of men and women working on his projects.

Mercurio has said that he pushes to give his series a gender balance and wants to reflect the modern British workplace in his creations.

He has said that in the police force women do the same jobs as men, and this is mirrored on screen.

He has also paid tribute to the casting staff who ensure balance in his work.

Mercurio has said the Line Of Duty staff can be proud of what they have achieved in terms of diversity.

He said: “I do like to have gender balance, so always looking for ways to keep it as near to 50/50.

“And also because it’s a precinct drama I kind of like to reflect modern workplaces and so having come from a background of women doing exactly the same jobs as men, I think that’s very important as a message in TV.

“I should also pay tribute to our casting team, what we do is we see a diverse range of actors for every role so in respect of Lisa McQueen, Rochenda’s (Sandall) part, we saw actors of all kinds of ethnicities and you just pick the best person for the job.

“Because there is so much talent out there, and so much diverse talent, it’s really important that people go up for roles that aren’t compartmentalised.

“I think we’re really proud of what we’ve achieved over the years.”

Line Of Duty star Rochenda Sandall has said she will take “any size part” in another Jed Mercurio project.

The explosive finale of the police procedural drama’s fifth season ended with the shocking revelation that the mysterious villain H was not one person, but four.

Viewers saw Sandall’s character Lisa McQueen enter into a witness protection programme in exchange for information on the organised crime group (OCG) she was a member of.

Ahead of the season five final episode, Sandall said: “People have asked me before if Jed has another project would you work with him and the clear answer is yes, because his text is so great.

“It’s strange when you read another text after you’ve been in such a fantastic text, you can see the holes in the structure.

“You take it for granted I guess, but his text is so secure and so brilliantly complex, that it’s an absolute joy to work on. His characters are so defined and non-two dimensional.

“So if there’s anything else, I’d be like, yes, I’ll take any size part, please, please have me.”

Ahead of the season five finale being aired, Sandall added: “It’s been amazing, what a ride, getting to work with amazing actors such as Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, Martin Compston, and of course the lovely Stephen Graham, who I did a lot of my stuff with, was just tremendous.

“It really is such a wonderful crew and team – a well oiled machine.”

Keep the good work going Jed - and fly the flag for Cannock while you’re at it.