 The character of Lucas North and his background was first revealed in March 2008 , shortly after filming the seventh series began . The producers wanted to create a new character to be a part of the team . They came up with a " new heroic figure " that they wanted to " put as much distance between [ the ] previous hero , " Adam Carter . The producers focused on Richard Armitage early into the casting suggestions , because they felt he could carry the mystery of Lucas North . Writer Neil Cross felt that Armitage would bring the entire tortured history of North on screen . 
