Line of Duty spoilers follow.
Line of Duty season seven (or series seven if you want to be British about it) is what fans are clamouring for. The show has been one of the biggest and most beloved BBC dramas of all time, with millions tuning in every week in a desperate bid to discover the identity of H and playing armchair detective while bent coppers run rings around the gang of AC-12.
When season six dropped in 2021, it became one of the biggest shows of 2021, creating record ratings for the BBC. It even beat its own record with the season-six finale, as an average of 12.8 million viewers clocked in to find out the truth.
But now for the million-dollar question: will there be a seventh season? Here's everything we know about the show's potential return.
Line of Duty season 7 potential release date: Will there be a seventh season?
Just this week (December 2022) The Sun published a report claiming that Line of Duty would be returning to screens for new "special episodes" – but nothing official has been confirmed by anyone at the BBC.
According to the rumour, a three-parter is in the pipeline to offer fans more twists and turns, with a TV insider reportedly telling the publication that "there's a strong feeling that there was unfinished business."
If true, this wouldn't be a full series but could give viewers an insight into what happened next for fan-favourite trio Ted Hastings, Kate Fleming and Steve Arnott.
Prior to this, the possibility of another season felt very much up in the air.
Creator Jed Mercurio has certainly been one to keep things close to his chest, and it seems no one – not even the BBC – has been willing to give a definitive answer.
In spite of all the secrecy, the word on the beat is season seven could be just around the corner – at least according to the show’s Ted Hastings actor Adrian Dunbar.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain back in October 2022, the star discussed the future of the show with the hosts. When talk turned to when the show would return and if an announcement would be made soon, Dunbar teased:
"We really hope so. I mean everyone is kind of gunning for it, so yeah. I'm sure the public want it.
"So we're keeping our fingers crossed. Within the next few weeks or couple of months we might hear something, so that will be good."
In 2021, Line of Duty was awarded the honour of becoming the UK's highest-rated TV drama in 13 years (via Deadline), beating previous title-holder Doctor Who (with its 2008 Christmas Day special), ITV's popular period drama Downton Abbey and Mercurio's own Bodyguard.
But there's no denying the sixth instalment had an air of finality, with H finally being unmasked, the reputation of Hastings being restored, and the main trio looking out over police headquarters in a power stance from an elevator before the credits rolled.
This feeling was later amplified when the leading stars including Vicky McClure and Martin Compston posted emotional farewells on Instagram, apparently drawing a line under their time on the series.
McClure penned a lengthy post, in which she reflected on the "lifelong friendships" they had all made, as well as the "talented and caring" crew.
Compston's tweet read: "Been a wild few weeks and mental 10 years with the most amazing cast & crews. None more so than the 3 below who I'd be lost without.
"A job of a lifetime only made possible by the fans tuning in series after series, for that I can't thank you all enough..."
But Jed Mercurio was a little more ambiguous, and while chatting to Den of Geek (in May 2021) and quizzed on the show's return, he said: "I'd say it's too soon. It's too soon to draw that conclusion. It could be either of those [a full stop or a new start], or it could be something different."
However, in April 2022, it seemed conversations about Line Of Duty's future hadn't gone any further.
In a chat with RadioTimes, actor Nigel Boyle, who played sought-after bent copper Ian Buckells shared his hopes for a seventh season after H's identity was revealed. Boyle explained he talked to executive producer Simon Heath for updates on the show's fate with little luck.
"I was chatting to Simon Heath earlier and I was saying, 'Come on, mate. [What's happening?]' And he was like, 'We'd kind of like to, but we don't know if it's going to happen'.
"I said, 'What's the official line?' And he said, 'Well, there isn't one'."
So basically, keep your eyes peeled, and we'll update you the best we can whenever we hear something more.
Since series three, the show has traditionally launched in March. There has also been a two-year gap between the past few seasons.
If the seventh batch of episodes was to arrive on our screens, we'd expect it to release in early 2023... but seeing as filming hasn't been happening (at least that we know of) even that is looking extremely unlikely.
Line of Duty season 7 plot: What's going to happen?
Mercurio has previously said that he knows how the story will close, but what remains to be seen is whether this conclusion is the one that played out in the season six finale.
Speaking ahead of the most recent run of episodes, the Line of Duty writer was working towards "not having to wrap things up", according to an interview with Radio Times in March, which indicates that there are still places for the plot to go.
What's more, during a chat on the Out To Lunch Podcast (via Metro), Mercurio said that "season six proves there is much more ground for us still to cover" while also acknowledging, "I really want to carry on with Line of Duty..."
After much anticipation, the final episode of season six hit our screens on May 2, and we finally got an answer as to who The Fourth Man aka H.
Despite being the subject of a fan theory fairly early on this series (on account of some golf clubs in his office), we'd be willing to bet that the reveal of Buckells was not quite what you were expecting. His role in the show actually stretches right the way back to season one though, so it does all fit together.
In terms of the mystery man that AC-12 has been hunting for all these years, we have our answer. But with a question mark left over whether or not evidence of systemic corruption can be used in court, there's still a thread that can be pulled at here if the story was to continue.
Chief Constable Philip Osborne (Owen Teale) continues to downplay links between the police and criminal organisations, and with him still in the top job – and taking power away from anti-corruption units – this feels like a battle that AC-12 could still try to pursue.
During an interview with Radio Times, Teale said that people still accuse him of being "H": "I'm now defending myself in the shops, with people saying, 'I know you're "H".'
"And I go, 'No, no, no, no, wait a minute, we all know who H is now' and they go 'no, no, no, I don't believe that for a second, there's no way he would have had the power to do that. But your character was the original'.
"And they remember it, right from the beginning. He was the guy who actually messed Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), he messed with him, he bullied him and that's why he jumped into AC-12, he jumped out of firearms."
That's if we would even have an AC-12 to return to. Kate Fleming has made it clear that she would love to return to the job that Hastings had offered her, but with the gaffer's impending forced retirement and Patricia Carmichael (Anna Maxwell Martin) in charge of the newly-merged team, it's not a given that our favourite trio would be able to continue to work together.
Jed Mercurio probably doesn’t have to worry about the show being cancelled during season seven, but starting a new multi-season arc is definitely a concern for the creator (via RadioTimes).
"Since probably season four, we've been talking to the BBC about the realistic longevity of the series," he explained. "I've experienced broadcasters pulling the plug while we were still developing a storyline – Bodies and Cardiac Arrest both ended prematurely on the BBC. So it's an ongoing discussion, is all I can say. A lot of it depends on the key creatives – me and the main actors – finding new stories to tell within that universe."
That 'within the universe' part is certainly interesting – especially when connected to the importance of retaining the main actors. If Line of Duty returns, it certainly won't be a reboot packed with fresh faces, it's more likely to centre around someone we already know.
While we're not holding out too much hope for a Columbo-style show revolving around a retired Hastings (just think of the catchphrases!), there are still interesting directions for the show to go in. As long as any follow-up sees Osborne getting his comeuppance, we'll be happy.
And there are a few things we'd like to see explored further, if a season seven was to come to fruition.
For a show that's been on the air for the best part of 10 years, it's been refreshing to see it breaking new ground this time around too; from introducing Line of Duty's first openly queer characters, to tackling systemic racism with the inclusion of the Lawrence Christopher case. We'd hope to see these themes built upon further in any future episodes, and become more seamlessly woven into the fabric of the show.
Line of Duty season 7 cast: Who would be in it?
A lot of this is also guesswork at this stage.
It feels as though AC-12's beloved trio – Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) – are the backbone of the show. Surely it can't carry on without them all... Right? RIGHT?!
For a second, it looked as though Kate had bitten the dust in season six (although that nail-biting cliffhanger was later resolved to reveal that it had been Ryan who bowed out). But she's alive and kicking, and set to take an opening back at her former unit alongside her "mate" and policing partner Steve.
Let's not forget that Hastings has been given his marching orders and is currently on track to retire from duty. He told Carmichael he would be appealing the decision, but he also shared a rather compromising confession with her which could see him removed from the force (or worse) regardless...
Steve's future on the squad isn't entirely certain either. He seems to be sorting his painkiller problem, and the promise of working with Kate again will surely put a stop to his earlier attempts at transferring to another team. But with anti-corruption cuts and a new person in charge, would he be welcome back?
Chloe Bishop (Shalom Brune-Franklin) was new to the team this time around, and we already feel – in the best possible way – like she's been there forever. We'd hope to see her back, either to continue the current AC-12 investigations or to push forward uncovering brand new bouts of corruption. She did pretty much solve the 'H' mystery singlehandedly...
It feels like Jo Davidson's (Kelly Macdonald) story has drawn to a close given that she's now in witness protection and her ties with the OCG have been severed. But would we bet our last pound on that being the case? Absolutely not.
Chatting on The One Show about the identity of 'H', Macdonald said: "I didn't know the show before I was offered the part, so when I was doing it I didn't know what an 'H' was. I didn't know that that was a character."
As for the man of the moment Ian Buckells, when asked recently whether or not he would be returning for a seventh season, actor Nigel Boyle joked: "Well I don't know, I mean, that would be a question for an officer at least one rank higher..."
And you never know, if Line of Duty returns, Mark Bonnar could be back as Mike Dryden. He has a fresh appreciation for acting after coming through the early days of the pandemic (via BT.com).
"I didn't know if I would ever work again. I did not. None of us knew what was going to happen, did we?" he said. "It was f**king terrifying at first, and remains terrifying, to be honest. But we found a way to cope with it – some countries better than others.
"But certainly, in the beginning, I was thinking, 'What am I going to do? What else can I do?' I mean, there's not a lot else I can do. I can turn my hand to a few things fairly well. I've had experience working for the council way back. I could always head back to the planning department, I suppose!"
Let's hope Bonnar takes on a different public service position and returns to our Line of Duty screens soon. Though, considering Dryden's current situation, he probably won't be working directly with AC-12.
Line of Duty season 7 trailer: Where can I watch it?
Mother of God! We're not exactly getting a trailer if there's been no filming! Sorry guys.
However, Jed Mercurio has at least reunited with Vicky McClure for a brand new project that is sure to be right up the street of fans.
ITV series Trigger Point follows McClure Explosives Officer Lana Washington, who has to figure out who is behind a series of bomb attacks.
Mercurio's ability to create a gripping crime drama like no other comes into play once again, with a shocking death in episode one proving to be the, uh, trigger point for a killer murder mystery.
Martin Compston has also been keeping us on our toes in the psychological thriller Our House and underwater intense drama Vigil with Suranne Jones.
Finally, gaffer himself Adrian Dunbar will be back on our screens soon with another crime drama, Ridley, playing a retired detective tempted back into the world as a consultant to crack a complicated murder case.
So even though the AC-12 gang aren't officially back together, they're definitely still about. fighting crime in TellyLand.
Line of Duty series 1-6 are available on BBC iPlayer, and DVD and Blu-ray boxsets are also available to buy now.
![Line of Duty - Series 6 [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1619694234-51OEt86seL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Line of Duty - Series 6 [DVD]")
Line of Duty - Series 6 [DVD]
![Line of Duty - Series 1-6 Complete Box Set [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1619694217-51F29MpAjlS._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Line of Duty - Series 1-6 Complete Box Set [DVD]")
Line of Duty - Series 1-6 Complete Box Set [DVD]
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TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
