Line Of Duty Is Officially Making A Comeback

When its explosive sixth and final series aired in 2021, social media was alight with commentary on and theories about long-running crime drama Line of Duty. Starring Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar as DI Steve Arnott, DI Kate Fleming and Superintendent Ted Hastings respectively, three cops in Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12), the series aired from 2012 until the finale in 2021, which involved a big reveal: the true identity of ‘H’, the elusive character AC-12 had been hunting for, well, six seasons.

Written by Jed Mercurio (the man behind Bodyguard, Trigger Point, Breathtaking and upcoming thriller Trinity), for almost a decade the action was religiously followed by superfans and casual watchers alike, all gripped by the intra-police scandals and investigations. Over the course of six series, a slew of new antagonists (and famous faces) rise and fall as Arnott and Fleming untangle complex cases, weeding out corrupt police officers (aka ‘bent coppers’), including DCI Tony Gates (Lennie James), DI Lindsay Denton (Keeley Hawes), Sergeant Danny Waldron (Daniel Mays), DCI Roseanne Huntley (Thandie Newton), DS John Corbett (Stephen Graham) and DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald). But it’s safe to say the conclusion left fans disappointed when lacklustre recurring character DSU Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle) was revealed to be ‘H’.

Even star Dunbar wasn’t satisfied with the ending. ‘When you find out [the long-term secret series antagonist, H] is this idiot Buckells, it is so frustrating,’ he told The Times in an interview. The core trio even asked Mercurio to add a shot into the script showing Hastings, Fleming and Arnott looking at each other incredulously when the news is revealed, ‘because we realised how our audience would feel,’ Dunbar says. He says the ending ‘robbed us of a huge denouement’, adding, ‘but Jed’s point was that police corruption can hang on one cop deciding to ignore one piece of information that comes across his desk.’

With that loose end finally tied up, fans believed they were finally saying to goodbye to Line of Duty for good. But now, the BBC has revealed the series will be back for a seventh series – here’s everything we know so far.

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Line Of Duty Series 7: Plot, Cast, Release Date

Turns out the rumours were true after all: the BBC announced yesterday that a new six-part season of Line of Duty has been confirmed. ‘We couldn’t be more delighted to be returning for a seventh [series],’ says Mercurio. ‘Corruption in this country is supposed to have come to an end while Line of Duty was off air so I’ve been forced to use my imagination.’ Filming is set to begin in Belfast in spring 2026, with the central trio Compston, McClure and Dunbar all returning to reprise their roles.

The show will focus on police anti-corruption, but there’s a key change to the plot: AC-12 has been disbanded and renamed the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Arnott, Fleming and Hastings are assigned ‘their most sensitive case so far’, which centres around Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, ‘a charismatic officer celebrated for a string of takedowns of organised crime’, who is accused of being a sexual predator. 

Line of Duty season 6. (BBC Pictures)

Cast

The excitement from returning favourites Compston, McClure and Dunbar is palpable. ‘Line of Duty has been a job of a lifetime,’ says Compston. ‘Not only in terms of the show’s success but the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with I now call some of my closest friends. I can’t wait to pull the waistcoat on again and get the team back together.’

Dunbar adds: ‘As we count down the AC-12 days of Christmas what a joy it is to know that the Three Amigos will be back filming together next year.’ McClure, meanwhile, says she ‘can’t wait to work with Jed, Martin and Adrian again.’

We haven’t yet got word on who will play Gough, but the show often brings in one big star each season – Keely Hawes, Stephen Graham and Kelly Macdonald have all featured in the past.

Since season six ended, the cast have been vocal about their hopes for the show to return. In November 2024, a loose-lipped Dunbar told Times Radio series 7 was on the cards. ‘All the signals and everything is [positive], but until the script hits the desk, you can’t be 100 percent sure,’ Dunbar said back then. ‘We’re all hoping that someone somewhere will make an announcement and say, “Yes, it’s happening”. And we can all take it from there. I can tell you one thing… The day they announce it, it’s going to burn up the internet.’

Back when the Line of Duty finale aired in 2021 it set a ratings record for the BBC, with the chief content officer at the time Charlotte Moore describing the series as ‘addictive event television’. Back then, the BBC seemed very keen to continue despite ‘H’ being revealed. ‘I’m looking forward to having a conversation with the team about where we go next and what the future of the series might be,’ Moore said. She added that Mercurio is ‘a master of his craft’.

Release Date

A release date has not yet been confirmed, but with filming due to begin in spring next year, the earliest we could be looking at for a premiere is autumn 2026. However, seasons three to six have all landed in March, so perhaps we’ll have to wait until March 2027 to see the show’s return.

WATCH

Fancy a rewatch? All six seasons of Line of Duty are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. In the US, episodes are available on Hulu and Prime Video.

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