Actress Vicky McClure has told how mini dinner parties with her fellow Line Of Duty cast members helped her cope with long periods away from home.

The star, who gripped viewers’ attention with her recent role in The Replacement, returns to screens on Sunday in the fourth series of the hit police drama.

But while she praised the show’s clever characters and complex plot lines, she described filming for weeks at a time as “the worst part of the job.”

“When you are away, if you’ve got people that you genuinely get on with, you can get on with it so much easier,” she said.

“So to have a meal with somebody at night, because it’s hard to cook for one, it makes it enjoyable – and it’s good fun on set as well.”

The 33-year-old, who plays Fleming, said she pulled out all the stops by cooking her colleagues a Sunday roast and, while “not the best cook”, Martin Compston rose to the challenge with a lemon chicken dish.

The fourth six-part instalment of Jed Mercurio’s production sees DCI Roz Huntley (played by new addition Thandie Newton) face an investigation by the AC-12 (anti-corruption) police unit after suspicions arise over an abduction case.

Following the huge success of the first three series, Line Of Duty has already been lined up for a fifth run and will debut on BBC One after previously being broadcast on BBC Two.

Describing it as “the most complicated” season so far, Vicky said she had no intention of giving up her role until she absolutely has to.

Thandie Newton will be joining the Line Of Duty cast for series 4
Thandie will be joining the cast for series 4 (Ian West/PA)

“Until he (Mercurio) kills me off, I think I’ll keep going,” she said.

“Every year I’m page turning, page turning, waiting for it and I’m just glad it hasn’t happened yet.

“I’ve got great friends on there now and you can always guarantee the scripts are going to be really strong and the characters are always going to continue to develop.”

But her commitment to the show may surprise fans who read about rumours that she was campaigning to play the next James Bond.

Dismissing all speculation, she said: “It’s never going to happen in a million years – a Nottingham gal playing Bond – but it would be genius.

“I’ve had a lot of fun with it, I lapped it up a bit … why not?”

Revealing why stepping in as the action film legend may not be a good fit for her, she admitted that high-energy scenes from the last episodes of Line Of Duty left her “exhausted”.

Line Of Duty will be broadcast on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday.