Line of Duty star Martin Compston denies singing IRA lyrics in viral video

Line of Duty star Martin Compston has denied accusations that he sang an IRA chant at a Celtic fan convention in the US.

A video shot in Las Vegas, that has since gone viral, captured the actor singing on a stage with former Celtic FC footballers Alan Thompson and Bobby Petta.

In the footage, people can be heard chanting “IRA” along to Daniel Boone’s 1972 song “Beautiful Sunday”, a track long-associated with the club.

Posting a tweet about the video on Thursday (16 June), Compston wrote: “Let me be absolutely clear, I unequivocally did not sing ANY sectarian songs.

“I’ve worked in Belfast too long to see damage done to think this stuff is a laugh.

“If people want to change lyrics to a song that’s sung at Celtic Park, weddings, Still Game, wherever, that’s up to them. I’m not the lyric police.”

He continued: “If it was an IRA song and I was onstage bobbing along I would understand the story, but I’m pretty sure Daniel Boone had nothing more than beautiful sundays in mind when he wrote the song and that’s what I was singing.”

He later posted screenshots of tweets from people criticising him, writing in the caption: “Example of the folk currently outraged on my timeline. Not interested in what happened just a chance to point to score on one of ‘them’. Can’t help themselves but.”

Compston, who is from Greenock in Glasgow, now lives in Las Vegas. He knows Belfast well because it’s where the BBC drama Line of Duty, in which he played DI Steve Arnott, was filmed.