Line of Duty star Brian McCardie's cause of death revealed by heartbroken family

Lisa McLoughlin
·2-min read
Brian McCardie
Brian McCardie

Line of Duty actor Brian McCardie died after experiencing a tear to a major heart artery, his grieving family has revealed.

Best recognised for his portrayal of underworld boss John Thomas “Tommy” Hunter in the popular BBC police drama, McCardie passed away unexpectedly at home in April aged 59.

In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, his sister Sarah disclosed that he suffered from an aortic dissection, a rare condition characterised by a tear in the weakened wall of the aorta.

She wrote: “Hi all, the McCardie family would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support regarding the sudden passing of Brian James McCardie, beloved son, brother, uncle and friend.

“Brian died due to an aortic dissection, causing short pain and a sudden death.”

She went on to share details about his final farewell in Motherwell, adding: “There will be links available to both the mass and the cremation service for those who cannot attend in person.

“We will feel your support from afar. With love and thanks, The McCardie family, Eddie, Moira, Martin, Ed, Liz and Sarah. Xxx.”

According to the British Heart Foundation, aortic dissection occurs when the weakened wall of the aorta tears, leading to blood leakage between the layers of the arterial walls.

Symptoms may include sudden and intense chest pain, pain in the jaw and face, and difficulty breathing.

Aside from Line of Duty, McCardie also had parts the historic drama Domina, Outlander and as the Irish leader James Connolly in 1916-set Rebellion.

In Rob Roy, he starred as Alasdair MacGregor, the brother of the title character, who was played by Northern Ireland actor Liam Neeson.

His other film parts include the 2013 adaption of Irvine Welsh novel Filth, which starred James McAvoy, 2003 period drama Mr Barrington, and Channel 5’s 2018 alternate history drama Agatha And The Truth Of Murder.

McCardie also had roles in 2019 Netflix series The Last Czars, along with BBC shows 2021’s Time, opposite Sean Bean, Dundee-set Dog Days and 2023’s Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy.

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