Line of Duty ‘to return for seventh season’ but fans will have to wait a while for new episodes

Line of Duty will reportedly be making a comeback for a seventh season though new episodes are ‘years away’, an insider on the show has claimed this week.

The hit BBC drama, which follows the investigations conducted into corrupt police officers by anti-corruption unit AC12, wrapped up its sixth season earlier this year; however, the majority of fans were left dismayed by the finale (spoiler: bumbling copper Ian Buckles was revealed to be ‘H’, also known as ‘the fourth man’ in a string of organised crime operations). 

Despite fans’ disappointment with the ending, however, the series finale smashed all records on the night of its release, with an average of 12.8 million people tuning in to watch. 

BBC

And better yet, Line of Duty was watched by over 15 million people, making it the most viewed drama of the 21st Century. The series also performed handsomely at the National Television Awards in September, where it snatched up two categories, Special Recognition and Returning Drama. 

So fans will be delighted to hear that there have been talks of a seventh season with Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar all set to reprise their lead roles. 

A show insider told The Daily Star: “Another series is happening. This is the news millions of fans have been hoping for.”

Other details, including the storylines and filming dates, are yet to be finalised, with the insider adding: “A lot of stuff still needs to be agreed and it is likely to take a while. Fans will probably have to wait a few years before it airs on TV.”

BBC

This comes just after Martin Compston, who plays DI Steve Arnott, told the Daily Star that he wouldn’t return to the hit crime drama ‘just for the sake of it’.

He said: “People want us to come back and that’s amazing but Jed [Mercurio] will only come back and do more if he believes there is a story to tell. He won’t come back just because we’re getting bigger. He wouldn’t do another series just for the sake of it. He writes everything for a reason.”

Compston admitted that he was overwhelmed following the backlash to the season 6 finale, saying: “It’s great to see people’s reactions. But by the last episode, I was glad it was done. It was getting intense. I realised people are so invested in it.

“We started this wee show on Wednesday nights on BBC Two and now it is bigger than ever!”