By Journalism & Media Students

Martin Compston, who plays Arthur Moorhouse in Wax Fruit was born on May 8th, 1984, Greenock, Inverclyde. Martin was the younger of two brothers. He grew up in a Catholic household and attended St Columba's High School .

A talented football player, he moved to Aberdeen at youth level before returning to Greenock to sign for local side Greenock Morton. He made two official appearances for his home town team in the 2001-2002 season, but quickly made the decision to leave football for acting.

He had never acted before he auditioned for the lead role of ‘Liam’ in Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen which was being filmed in Scotland.

After the success of the film, at The Cannes Film Festival which gave him celebrity status in Scotland. Compston and fellow Scottish actor William Ruane were both nominated for Most Promising Newcomer award which resulted in Compston winning the award.

Compston quickly made a name of himself in the acting world, appearing in Monarch of the Glen and The Wee Man, a biographical film about Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris, among other smaller roles.

He is probably best known for his portrayal of DS Steve Arnott in Line of Duty.

Involved in the incoming project based on Guy McCrone book Wax Fruit, Compston will be playing Arthur Moorhouse in the series based on Scottish Victorian times.

The film will revolve around the Moorhouse family, following them from an Ayrshire fam into the bustling city of Glasgow.

Other actors will include Bill Patterson, Shirley Henderson and Julie Cadzow. Glasgow based producer Sarah Purser, and her firm Little White Rose Films are all ready to go after starting the project back in 2021.

Purser said: "The aim was always to take it to the studios in such an advanced form and with so many gifted people involved that they'll find it difficult to say no."

So hopefully something of a homecoming for Martin Compston to a familiar city, but in an unfamiliar period of history.

Greenock to the big screens