Line of Duty icon Vicky McClure reveals how she 'champions' the working class with ITV's Trigger Point
The celebrated actor called for a "top down" rethink of industry hiring practices.
Trigger Point star Vicky McClure has opened up on how she aims to "champion" working class talent on the hit ITV thriller, which returns for its third season this weekend.
In addition to starring as explosives officer Lana Washington, McClure also executive produces the series with her Line of Duty collaborator Jed Mercurio, and says that takes up the majority of her time on the project.
Of particular focus is ensuring that Trigger Point has a diverse cast and crew, which includes giving working class talent a way into an industry that has faced criticism for elitism in the past.
McClure explained: "I love to make a difference and I'm always trying to champion the working class, both on and off screen, so I'm really proud that we've been able to give out lots of opportunities to trainees on Trigger Point, giving people their first chance at being on set.
"Our industry really needs to improve in that regard because great talent is being missed."
McClure continued: "On Trigger Point, we really do harness those diverse voices. It's so important because we need to see more TV where people really recognise the characters and the world.
"To be able to produce that kind of story, you need to have lived experience, and if we don't have creatives that actually understand those worlds, then we're not going to be able to capture them authentically."
Last year, research by Sutton Trust concluded that privately educated people tend to find more success in the creative industries, with BAFTA-nominated actors being five times more likely to have attended private school than the general population of the UK.
Channel 4 News reports that less than 10 percent of film and TV workers are from working class backgrounds, while Adolescence star Stephen Graham has voiced frustration at the industry's "condescending" attitude towards working class people.
McClure concurred that there were "shockingly few" working class people in the industry and that a "top down" approach "across every department" must happen in order to reverse the trend.
The Trigger Point cast also includes Nabil Elouahabi, Eric Shango, Kerry Godliman, Natalie Simpson, Maanuv Thiara, Kevin Eldon and Tamzin Griffin, with Jason Flemyng and Mark Rowley joining for the third season.
Trigger Point returns to ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 26th October 2025.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
