Pierce Brosnan breaks silence on Tom Hardy feud rumours ahead of MobLand comeback: 'Storm in a teacup!'

The Guy Ritchie crime drama's second series had been dogged by reports of behind-the-scenes friction during production.

However, Mr Brosnan said: "I love the dude. I love Tom Hardy. I'm a massive fan of the man's work. Truly."

Pierce Brosnan has shut down rumours of a rift with Tom Hardy

GETTY

The second series attracted considerable attention during its production, with Mr Hardy finding himself at the heart of the controversy.

He was alleged to have left fellow cast members waiting on set and to have had disagreements with showrunner Jez Butterworth and David Glasser regarding the scripts.

At one stage, there were even suggestions that the actor might not feature in a potential third series.

Reports subsequently confirmed that Mr Hardy had not been dropped from the show, and Dame Helen Mirren, 81, shared a photograph of herself with him on social media in an apparent effort to dispel the rumours of discord.

Mr Brosnan described the reported tensions as a 'storm in a teacup'

GETTY

Mr Brosnan stressed that the cast remained close, describing them as "rock solid as a company, as a family."

He noted that the pace of filming left little room for socialising.

"Everyone shows up for work, and everybody's just there on the spot," he said.

"It moves very fast, so it's not like we go out and socialise and go to the pub or anything like that.

Tom Hardy reprises his role as Harry Da Souza in the second series of MobLand

GETTY

"Everyone goes home to their families, and before you know it, you've done 10 episodes."

Mr Hardy expressed deep respect for his more experienced colleagues.

"They're awesome," he said of Mr Brosnan and Dame Helen.

"In many aspects, of course, I look up to them. Coming up, these are actors that came before me.

"So to be able to work with them is a privilege."

Dame Helen spoke warmly about her on-screen partnership with Mr Brosnan, who plays mob boss Conrad Harrigan opposite her portrayal of his redoubtable wife, Maeve.

"Obviously, Pierce and I have an extraordinary chemistry on-screen and off-screen," she said.

Dame Helen Mirren spoke warmly about her relationship with co-star Pierce Brosnan

GETTY

"We're very, very fond of each other. We respect each other enormously."

She added that "the relationships are amazing."

The new series follows the Harrigan clan as they battle to hold their empire together in the face of mounting threats from rival factions.

Mr Hardy reprises his role as Harry Da Souza, who once again sits at the centre of the unfolding drama.