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Mhairi Black spent nearly a decade in the House of Commons, serving as the Scottish National Party (SNP) MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, until she stood down in last year's general election. And now, the 31-year-old is putting her political career to rest as she joins the world of entertainment after landing a role in the BBC's new eight-part legal drama, Counsels. Mhairi will feature in half of the series as she plays Detective Inspector Bridges, opposite the likes of Brandon Grace, Rebecca Bell and George Prentice. A synopsis for Counsels, which starts filming next week, reads: "Counsels follows the lives of a group of twentysomething lawyers in Glasgow in the crucial moment when a few years out of university their careers finally become serious. Working across the legal landscape as public prosecutors, slick representatives of glossier commercial interests or the good-hearted last resort of those with nothing left to lose, each one of them is out to win. Whether they're colleagues jostling for a promotion, lovers trying to hold onto one another as ambitions accelerate or pure adversaries professionally and personally, now's the time things are going to catch fire." Speaking about joining the show, Mhairi said: "I'm excited to be joining Counsels and look forward to getting stuck in to playing Detective Inspector Bridges. I've been relishing trying different things since politics, this is my first TV acting role, and I really enjoyed auditioning for the part. To work on a series which is set and filmed in Glasgow is an amazing opportunity – what a brilliant show to be a part of." Mhairi's career The politician turned actor made history when she was elected in 2015, at the age of 20, as the youngest person to be elected to the House of Commons since the introduction of the Reform Act 1832, and the first politician elected aged between 18 and 21 after candidacy rules were relaxed by the Electoral Administration Act 2006. She quickly became a force to be reckoned with and served as the SNP's Scotland spokesperson in the House of Commons between 2020 and 2022 and as the party's deputy Westminster leader between 2022 and 2024. Since leaving politics, Mhairi has grown disillusioned with her previous life, resigning from the SNP in July 2025 citing its stance on Palestine and trans issues. She was also critical of the appointment of Kate Forbes, known for her socially conservative viewpoints, as Scotland's Deputy First Minister. The former politician had previously branched out into the world of entertainment with an Edinburgh Fringe Show titled Politics Isn't For Me. Who stars in Counsels? Alongside Mhairi, Counsels will be starring an ensemble cast with the lead roles being played by Brandon Grace (My Lady Jane), Ro Kumar (Accidental Death of an Anarchist), Eilidh Park (Wind of Change), George Prentice (The Pendragon Cycle), Alyth Ross (Last Light) and Rebecca Bell (Outlander: Blood of My Blood). They will be joined by the likes of Michelle Gomez (Doctor Who), Derek Riddell (Happy Valley), Laura Haddock (White Lines), Daniela Nardini (This Life), Michael Nardone (Line of Duty), Sally Howitt (River City), Stuart Bowman (The Bodyguard), Neshla Caplan (The Rig) and Stephen Purdon (River City). Actors who became politicians It's more common for actors to become politicians than vice versa, with the likes of Ronald Reagan and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy achieving high office, while others have had more minor roles in politics than what they're used to on the silver screen. Scroll down to meet the stars who decided to enter politics…
