Dame Helen Mirren reunites with her MobLand co-star Pierce Brosnan at cast dinner ahead of series 3 filming - as Tom Hardy stays away after on-set clash rumours

Dame Helen Mirren reunited with the MobLand cast for a star-studded evening this weekend as Tom Hardy stayed away amid reported tensions.

The actress, 81, was joined by her co-stars, including Pierce Brosnan, 73, at London's glamorous and exclusive Soho Mews House on Saturday for a special cast dinner.

The group, who were pictured enjoying wine and champagne as they happily mingled, appeared to have followed a dress code, with everyone opting for black or dark grey.

Dame Helen stood out in a striking black fishnet-effect outfit, featuring sheer patterned sleeves and a matching décolletage, finished with a crisp white collar. 

She wore her hair in her signature blunt bob with a fringe. Meanwhile, Brosnan looked dapper in a grey suit and an open-necked white shirt.

But the show's leading man, Hardy, 49, was conspicuous by his absence, adding fresh fuel to speculation about the behind-the-scenes issues that threatened to derail the series.

Hardy, who plays crime fixer Harry Da Souza, was at the centre of reports earlier this year claiming he had clashed with MobLand co-creator Jez Butterworth and producer David Glasser. 

There were also claims that his behaviour on set had frustrated colleagues, with reports that they had frequently been left waiting for hours while he remained in his trailer.

At one point, there was speculation that Hardy would not return for a third series.

Dame Helen was quick to defend her co-star, sharing a photograph of him on Instagram with the message: 'Love you now and always, Helen.'

She later explained: 'False rumours just should be knocked on the head, asap, which is why I did my post about Tom, not for Tom, but my absolutely genuine love of Tom.'

Brosnan also dismissed the reports as 'a bit of a storm in a teacup', adding: 'I love the dude. I love Tom Hardy. I'm a massive fan of the man's work. Truly.'

The trio reunited at the show's second-series premiere in London in September, where Hardy insisted: 'There was no firing, there was no walking away and there was no arguments in that aspect.'

He also reassured fans: 'They need not have worried - I'm not going anywhere.'

At the premiere, Dame Helen was equally emphatic about their working relationship, telling TheWrap: 'We're professionals, we get on with it. 

'We love each other, we support each other. We love the show. We want the show to be its very best.'

MobLand, directed by Guy Ritchie, follows the bloody power struggles of the Harrigan crime family, with Hardy playing its fixer Harry, while Dame Helen and Brosnan star as its formidable matriarch Maeve and patriarch Conrad.

The show has become a major hit for Paramount+. The second series is currently streaming, with new episodes arriving every Friday and its ten-episode run due to conclude on November 20.

Dame Helen revealed in a recent interview with Radio Times that work on the third series was due to begin this week. Hardy, Brosnan and Mirren are all set to return.