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Tags: line of duty | jed mercurio | boris johnson

'Line of Duty' Creator Jed Mercurio Mocks Boris Johnson

boris johnson walks outside wearing police coat and hat
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson observes an early morning raid as part of "Operation Toxic" to infiltrate County Lines drug dealings on Dec. 6, 2021, in Liverpool, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

By    |   Monday, 06 December 2021 01:33 PM EST

"Line of Duty" creator Jed Mercurio has taken a jab at Boris Johnson after photos emerged of him wearing full police uniform. 

The British prime minister was seen donning a police hat and jacket while attending a dawn drugs raid on a house in Liverpool by Merseyside Police on Monday, according to Metro. It was not long before Mercurio, who wrote the hit BBC crime drama, jokingly criticized Johnson's "audition" on social media.

"Thank you for submitting your audition for the next series of #LineofDuty but we’re looking for a character with at least one redeeming moral principle and a performance that places even just a scintilla of doubt in the audience’s mind that he might not be totally bent," Mercurio tweeted alongside a photo of Johnson in his police attire. 

Mercurio has been critical of Johnson in the past and has even sparked rumors that former Detective Superintendent Ian Buckells, who is played by Nigel Boyle in "Line of Duty," may have been based on him.

Johnson meanwhile, was in Liverpool to launch a new 10-year drugs strategy for England and Wales. Speaking ahead of the plans' unveiling this week, Johnson said that the government was "absolutely determined to fight" the "disgusting" drugs trade, according to Metro

"I take the view that it is a long time really since you heard a government say that drugs — Class A drugs — are bad and bad for society, bad for opportunity, bad for kids growing up in this country," he said. 

Johnson added that the government was "not going to sit idly by" while so-called "lifestyle users" take drugs, arguing that "all demand is helping to create the problem."

Zoe Papadakis

Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
"Line of Duty" creator Jed Mercurio has taken a jab at Boris Johnson after photos emerged of him wearing full police uniform. The British prime minister was seen donning a police hat and jacket while attending...
line of duty, jed mercurio, boris johnson
279
2021-33-06
Monday, 06 December 2021 01:33 PM
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