Why wasn’t actress Taj Atwal in the Line Of Duty season 6 opener?

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Viewers of Line Of Duty’s sixth series opener on Sunday may have noticed a missing member of AC-12.

PC Tatleen Sohota was instrumental in season five’s investigation into Operation Pear Tree, which saw undercover cop John Corbett [Stephen Graham] killed while trying to expose the mysterious ‘H’.

But actress Taj Atwal was nowhere to be seen on Sunday’s premiere show – and has elaborated on why this is.

MIA: Viewers of Line Of Duty’s sixth series opener on Sunday may have noticed a missing member of AC-12 in the form of PC Tatleen Sohota

‘I couldn’t make the dates work alongside The Syndicate,’ she told BBC Radio 5 Live this week. ‘I had to choose and it was not an easy decision.’

The Syndicate is another of the BBC’s drama series, about a group of underpaid workers who win the lottery, created by TV powerhouse Kay Mellor. Taj plays the role of Roxy.

She said: ‘It was not easy but Kay is very hard to turn down because she is just so lovely, and I’ve worked with her so much previously.

‘Roxy was a just completely different character for me to play and just challenge myself, really.’

As predicted: The show returned to BBC One on Monday and proved a massive ratings success

As predicted: The show returned to BBC One on Monday and proved a massive ratings success

There she is: 'I couldn't make the dates work alongside The Syndicate,' she told BBC Radio 5 Live this week. The Syndicate is another of the BBC's drama series, about a group of underpaid workers who win the lottery

There she is: ‘I couldn’t make the dates work alongside The Syndicate,’ she told BBC Radio 5 Live this week. The Syndicate is another of the BBC’s drama series, about a group of underpaid workers who win the lottery

Last season: PC Tatleen Sohota was instrumental in season five's investigation into Operation Pear Tree, which saw undercover cop John Corbett [Stephen Graham] killed while trying to expose the mysterious 'H'

Last season: PC Tatleen Sohota was instrumental in season five’s investigation into Operation Pear Tree, which saw undercover cop John Corbett [Stephen Graham] killed while trying to expose the mysterious ‘H’

Line Of Duty’s series six premiere became Britain’s third most watched show of the year on Sunday, with nearly 10million viewers tuning in for the return of AC-12.

The hotly-anticipated new series saw the formerly tight-knit Anti-Corruption unit in a state of disarray, as a new murder investigation with DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly MacDonald) at the epicentre, took hold of the force.

Fans were instantly hooked with the BBC One show averaging 9.57million viewers, a 44.5 per cent share of the ratings.

At its peak between 9pm and 9.15pm, the show was watched by an even more mammoth 9.69million viewers. 

Kate's back! Line Of Duty's series six premiere became the third most watched show of the year on Sunday, with nearly 10million viewers tuning in for the return of AC-12 (above Vicky McClure)

Kate’s back! Line Of Duty’s series six premiere became the third most watched show of the year on Sunday, with nearly 10million viewers tuning in for the return of AC-12 (above Vicky McClure)

Arnott and Hastings: Fans were instantly hooked with the BBC One show averaging 9.57million viewers, a 44.5% share of the ratings (above Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar)

Arnott and Hastings: Fans were instantly hooked with the BBC One show averaging 9.57million viewers, a 44.5% share of the ratings (above Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar)

New guard: The hotly anticipated new series saw the formerly tight-knit Anti-Corruption unit in a state of disarray, as a new murder investigation with DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly MacDonald) at the epicentre, took hold of the force

New guard: The hotly anticipated new series saw the formerly tight-knit Anti-Corruption unit in a state of disarray, as a new murder investigation with DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly MacDonald) at the epicentre, took hold of the force

The drama’s premiere episode became the third most watched programme of the year, behind Boris Johnson’s address in January to announce the third lockdown with 24.2million (BBC1, BBC News, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky News combined), and Harry and Meghan’s interview with 11.3million on ITV on March 8. 

Line Of Duty’s ratings triumph bumped down The Masked Singer finale into fourth place, with 8.6million tuning in to the ITV show in February.   

Sunday’s audience beat the finale of series five which got a 9.1million average in May 2019.

Third place: The only programmes that have beaten Line Of Duty in 2021 are Boris Johnson's January lockdown address (left) with 24.2million

Must watch:  Harry and Meghan's bonbshell Oprah interview attracted 11.3 million viewers

Third place: The only programmes that have beaten Line Of Duty in 2021 are Boris Johnson’s January lockdown address (left) with 24.2million and Harry and Meghan’s interview with 11.3 million

Smashed it: The episode also surpassed the opening episode of Jed Mercurio's other show Bodyguard -which got a 6.6million average in September 2018 (pictured Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes)

Smashed it: The episode also surpassed the opening episode of Jed Mercurio’s other show Bodyguard -which got a 6.6million average in September 2018 (pictured Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes)

It also beat the first episode of series five which drew an average audience of 7.8million in March 2019.      

The episode also surpassed the opening episode of Jed Mercurio’s other show Bodyguard -which got a 6.6million average in September 2018.       

The hit BBC show delighted viewers with several plot twists and even taught them a new acronym, with many hilariously mishearing it for something much cruder.

And although only being introduced in the first episode, new character Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson certainly made her mark and left many fans with more questions than answers.

Line of Duty series 6 continues on Sunday at 9PM on BBC One.