Martin Compston has revealed a backstage secret from the set of his latest show, The Rig.

The Line of Duty actor, who is 5ft 8in tall, explained that due to his small stature, women have had to stand in as his body doubles.

Compston is currently filming the second series of Amazon's supernatural thriller in Edinburgh.

According to Compston, the show's producers were unable to find any male actors small enough to stand in for him as the oil rig worker, Fulmer Hamilton, during set-up for shots.

Instead, female extras are used as stand-ins.

Compston shared this information on his Restless Natives podcast, adding that having women as his body doubles is "quite an emasculating thing".

He revealed that when male actors have attempted to stand in for him, they would often adopt awkward positions, such as spreading their legs, in an attempt to appear smaller.

The 39-year-old said: "We are doing The Rig at the minute and we have got stand-ins.

"When we are getting changed people will come and stand on our mark for the cameras.

"I have always got the best-looking stand-ins because mine are always women because they are smaller.

"It's quite an emasculating thing."

He added: "They have got to try and match your height for the camera.

"Whenever guys have done it they always spread their legs to make themselves a bit smaller.

"When you walk on and you see some d**k doing that in front of you're like 'F*****g hell man'."