Homeland production rejigged after Rupert Friend gets injured

British actor Rupert Friend has been forced to take a break from hit political drama Homeland after injuring his ankle.

The star was in the middle of shooting the first two episodes of the series' sixth season in New York City when he broke a bone in his right ankle while off work.

The ailment has prompted producers to rejig the shooting schedule to allow Friend time to heal.

"Everyone has been very accommodating," he told Deadline.com.

Although the 34-year-old did not sustain the injury on set, he previously rolled the same ankle while filming episodes for seasons four and five, causing ligaments to weaken, according to the publication.

Friend has been using crutches to get around and he showed off his soft cast as he attended the Showtime network's pre-Emmy Awards party in Los Angeles on Saturday night (17Sep16).

He is hoping to be back in action within two weeks' time, allowing producers to meet the Homeland season six premiere in January (17).

The news suggests Friend's character Peter Quinn will awake from the coma he fell into in the season five finale.