Ex-MP Mhairi Black Dives Into Drama as Glasgow Detective in BBC's 'Counsels'

Mhairi Black, who was once a Member of Parliament for the Scottish National Party, is now stepping into a new role as an actress in the BBC legal drama Counsels. The series is set in Glasgow and will feature Black as Detective Inspector Bridges, marking her first appearance in a television acting role. Black expressed her excitement about joining the cast, saying she has enjoyed trying new things since leaving politics. She left the SNP earlier this year, citing disagreements with the party's positions on issues like trans rights and Palestine. She also revealed that a diagnosis of ADHD had helped her regain control over her life.

Black first gained national attention when she was elected to Westminster at the age of 20, becoming the youngest MP since 1832. She won the Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat by defeating Labour's Douglas Alexander, and her victory was part of a major win for the SNP in Scotland during the 2015 general election. Black decided to step down before the most recent general election, mentioning concerns about her safety, online abuse, and the demanding hours of her job. After leaving Parliament, she debuted a one-woman show called Politics Isn't For Me at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and her journey from politics to performing was featured in a BBC documentary.

Counsels, the new BBC drama, centers on a group of young lawyers who trained together at an elite law school and are now navigating their careers and personal lives. The main cast includes Rebecca Bell, Brandon Grace, Eilidh Park, Alyth Ross, Ro Kumar, and George Prentice. These characters find themselves facing each other in court as their professional paths cross. The show also features established actors such as Michelle Gomez, Derek Riddell, Laura Haddock, Daniela Nardini, Michael Nardone, Sally Howitt, Stuart Bowman, Neshla Caplan, and Stephen Purdon. The series was created by Scottish writers Bryan Elsley, known for co-creating Skins, and Gillian McCormack, a graduate of the BBC Writers' Drama Room. Counsels is produced by Balloon Entertainment and will be available on BBC iPlayer, BBC One, and BBC Scotland.