Line of Duty: Everything you need to know about the thrilling series

We need a seventh series!

Author: Alex RossPublished 5th Mar 2024

Since it first hit our TV screens way back in 2012, hit BBC show Line Of Duty has had us on the edge of our seats for six incredible series - despite the fact that the show was initially rejected!

Written by Jed Mercurio, the much-loved show amassed a legion of loyal fans, with the season six finale drawing in an amazing 12.8 million viewers. To celebrate this amazing series, here's everything you could possibly need to know about hit police drama Line Of Duty...

Is there going to be another series of Line of Duty?

The sixth series of the show was believed to be the last, so it doesn't seem likely at the moment. There have been rumours of a potential seventh series, but nothing has been officially confirmed.

Find out everything you need to know about the possibility of Line of Duty series seven right here.

When was Line of Duty last on TV?

After filming was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, production resumed in September 2020 and the show returned to our TV screens on Sunday 21st March 2021, with some reoccurring characters in series six.

Sharing a short clip on social media at the time, bosses wrote: 'Mother of God… Mate, set your reminder for Sunday 21st March, 9pm. #LineOfDuty returns to @BBCOne & @BBCiPlayer!'. (sic)

What channel was Line of Duty on?

Line of Duty originally aired on BBC Two. Creator Jed Mercurio revealed in July 2020 that BBC One initially rejected Line of Duty when it was first pitched, hence why it aired on BBC Two originally!

The show was quickly moved to BBC One when it took off!

Who was on Line of Duty in series 6?

Adrian Dunbar as Superintendent Ted Hastings

First joined the cast: Series 1


Northern Irish actor Adrian Dunbar has played the role of Superintendent Ted Hastings, the leader of AC-12, since Jed Mercurio's brilliant show first aired back in 2012.


Over the first five series it came to light that Ted had some marital issues, as well as a number of financial struggles coming to light.


Despite being framed by Gill Biggeloe in series 5, many viewers were convinced Ted could be the last member of 'H', but all was cleared up in the series 6 finale when he come clean to Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael that he leaked information to Lee Banks that led to John Corbett's death.


What other shows has Adrian Dunbar appeared in?


Adrian has appeared in a number of high profile shows alongside Line of Duty, including Blood, Death In Paradise, Ashes To Ashes and Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland.

Vicky McClure as DI Kate Fleming

First joined the cast: Series 1


DI Kate Fleming, played by English actress Vicky McClure, is another Line of Duty OG, first appearing in series 1 as an undercover specialist.


Vicky's character Kate played an integral part in framing bent coppers over the first five series, but in series 6 Kate left AC-12, instead working alongside newcomer DCI Joanne Davidson in a murder investigation. Despite this, as seen in episode 1 of series 6, Kate remained good friends with Steve Arnott, meeting up to pass on inside information. At the end of series 6 it looked like Kate was back at home in AC-12, with the Gaffa even offering her job back!


What other shows has Vicky McClure appeared in?


Vicky appeared in Channel 4 series This Is England before joining the cast of Line of Duty, as well as featuring in shows such as The Replacement and The Secret Agent.

Martin Compston as DS Steve Arnott

First joined the cast: Series 1


Ever since his character DS Steve Arnott was welcomed into AC-12 by Ted Hastings in series 1, Scottish actor Martin Compston become a fan favourite with viewers.


Despite getting himself into a number of awkward situations (we are talking about you Lindsay Denton), Steve is one of AC-12's most decorated officers, helping bring down a number of bent coppers over the first five series.


Despite a number of issues with a painkiller addiction in series 6, Steve finally went to Occupational Health in the series finale, after finally bringing down H!


What other shows has Martin Compston appeared in?


You'll recognise Martin from a number of popular dramas on the box, including shows like The Nest, Traces and Victoria.

Nigel Boyle as DCI Buckells

First joined the cast: Series 1


Buckells, played by actor Nigel Boyle, has been a reoccurring character since series 1, appearing in series 1, 4 and 6.


Series 6 saw Buckells working as a DCI and the station chief at Hillside Lane Station. However, it was clear to see that his ways of policing hadn't changed, with DI Kate Fleming bringing to light that Buckells made a serious mistake in filing paperwork during the Beechwood House surveillance.


This all made sense in the final episode, where Buckells was unveiled as the fourth member of H.


What other shows has Nigel Boyle appeared in?


Nigel has also appeared in Peaky Blinders and The Enfield Haunting.

Tommy Jessop as Terry Boyle (Ross Turner)

First joined the cast: Series 1


If you remember correctly, the character of Terry Boyle first made an appearance in Line of Duty way back in series 1 in 2012, originally played by actor Elliott Rosen. Terry, who has Down Syndrome, was manipulated by the OCG to hide the body of Jackie Laverty in his freezer, before returning in series 5, this time played by actor Tommy Jessop.


Just 15 minutes into series 6, Tommy's character Terry made an appearance, being arrested as the main suspect of journalist Gail Vella's murder, under the false name of Ross Turner - a name given by the CHIS.


After evidence was found by DCI Joanne Davidson early in the series, Terry was once again being framed by an OCG, but he was acquitted of all charges when the real suspect was found in episode 7.


What other shows has Tommy Jessop appeared in?


Tommy has appeared in shows such as Holby City, Off Their Rockers and Coming Down The Mountain and Casualty.

Gregory Piper as Ryan Pilkington

First joined the cast: Series 1


If you cast you minds back to series 1, actor Gregory Piper played the role of 'soft lad', 13-year-old Ryan, a teen who delivered burner phones on his bike for Tommy Hunter.


Ryan was then re-introduced into the cast in his early 20s in series 5, working alongside Lisa McQueen and John Corbett in the OCG. At the end of the series, Ryan attended an interview for Police College, before an epilogue showed him passing out as a student police officer.


In series 6, Ryan was a PC working in DCI Joanne Davidson's murder squad on the murder of Gail Vella.


After attempting to murder Terry Boyle and being involved in THAT tense shoot-out with DI Fleming, Ryan was pronounced dead after a double shot from Kate.


What other shows has Gregory Piper appeared in?


Although Line of Duty is Gregory's biggest role to date, he's also appeared in Shrine of Duty, Frankie and Fixed.

Keeley Hawes as Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton

First joined the cast: Series 2


Keeley Hawes was one of the main characters in Line of Duty in series 2 and 3, playing the role of Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton, who was the only officer to survive when a protected witness convoy was ambushed. After suspicions about DI Denton rose with AC-12, the officer was forced to plead her innocence.


In series 3, DI Denton was granted an appeal, but she was later murdered by 'The Caddy' after she discovered crucial evidence about the Danny Waldron murder in series 1.


What other shows has Keeley Hawes appeared in?


Keeley has appeared in an array of TV shows, including Spooks, The Durrells and Bodyguard.

Thandie Newton as Detective Chief Inspector Roz Huntley

First joined the cast: Series 4


Thandie Newton played the role of DCI Roz Huntley in series 4, with her character being the senior investigating officer of 'Operation Trapdoor'. The divisive detective was certainly a major part of the last season, and ended up being sent to prison for 10 years for manslaughter.


What other shows has Thandie Newton appeared in?


Thandie is a huge star, and got her big break starring in Mission Impossible II opposite Tom Cruise in 2000. After starring in Crash, she had parts in The Pursuit of Happyness and Run Fatboy Run, and had a main role in Westworld as Maeve Millay.

Anneika Rose as Sergeant Farida Jatri

First joined the cast: Series 4


Anneika Rose's character first appeared in Line of Duty in series 4, where she was acting as a PC on DCI Roz Huntley's Operation Trapdoor.


However, her character reappeared in series 6 with a promotion to Sergeant Farida Jatri working at Hillside Lane Station in the murder investigation squad.


It was also made aware to viewers at the start of series 6 that Sergeant Farida Jatri is the ex-girlfriend of newcomer DCI Joanne Davidson. Despite being held in prison for the majority of series 6, it was confirmed at the end of episode 7 that all charges had been dropped, with her returning to active duty as a Sergeant at Hillside Lane Station.


What other shows has Anneika Rose appeared in?


Anneika has appeared in shows such as Ackley Bridge, Taggart, The Good Karma Hospital, and Deadwater Fell.

Elizabeth Rider as DCC Andrea Wise

First joined the cast: Series 5


Operating out of Pelbury House, Elizabeth Rider's character DCC Andrea Wise first made an appearance in series 5, being promoted to Deputy Chief Constable following Mike Dryden's resignation.


It's safe to say DCC Andrea Wise isn't a fan of AC-12, Superintendent Ted Hastings especially, shutting down many of their operations and refusing to give them access to important documents. Many fans of the show did suspect she could be 'H'.


What other shows has Elizabeth Rider appeared in?


Elizabeth has appeared in a number of high profile dramas, including Doctor Foster, Waking The Dead, Informer and Doc Martin.

Ace Bhatti as PCC Rohan Sindwhani

First joined the cast: Series 5


Ace Bhatti's character Rohan Sindwhani first joined the cast of Line of Duty in series 5, taking over from Paula Reid as the Police and Crime Commissioner.


PCC Rohan Sindwhani worked closely alongside DCC Andrea Wise in series 5 and 6, despite Sindwhani not enjoying going against his principles of transparency.


What other shows has Ace Bhatti appeared in?


Ace is probably most well-known for his role as villain Yusef Khan in EastEnders, but he has also appeared in Holby City, Midsomer Murders, Casualty, Spooks and Silent Witness.

Anna Maxwell Martin as Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael

First joined the cast: Series 5


Actress Anna Maxwell Martin was first introduced to Line of Duty back in series 5, taking over from Superintendent Madeline Summers as the head of AC-3. You'll recognise her as being the officer who interviewed Ted Hastings following his arrest in series 5. Carmichael returned in series 6, taking over and disbanding AC-12 following Hastings' forced retirement.


What other shows has Anna Maxwell Martin appeared in?


Anna has appeared in a number of well-known shows, such as The Bletchley Circle, Bleak House, The Frankenstein Chronicles and Code 404.

Stephen Graham as John Corbett (Balaclava Man)

First joined the cast: Series 5


Stephen Graham joined season 5 of Line of Duty as John Corbett aka Balaclava Man. The BBC described his character as: 'Known to have links with corrupt police officers and suspected to be under direct command of the shadowy figure known only as 'H', Corbett and McQueen become persons of interest to AC-12 following an explosive chain of events.'


Whilst working as an undercover detective in season 5, Stephen's character John Corbett was killed by OCG member Ryan Pilkington.


What other shows has Stephen Graham appeared in?
Stephen is a hugely-successful actor, having appeared in shows including Boardwalk Empire, Peaky Blinders and This Is England.

Shalom Brune-Franklin as DC Chloe Bishop

First joined the cast: Series 6


It was announced in 2021 that actress Shalom Brune-Franklin would be joining the Line of Duty cast for series 6, playing the role of DC Chloe Bishop.


Chloe is the latest recruit to AC-12, with Shalom saying of the character, "Chloe is the newest member of AC-12. Like anyone starting a new job, she's so eager to prove to her bosses that she was the right choice. She's incredibly hardworking and we can see she's really trying to impress."


Despite some fan theories that she was the daughter of former character Tony Gates, it turned out Chloe was as straight as they come, helping her AC-12 colleagues bring down the bent coppers.


What other shows has Shalom Brune-Franklin appeared in?


You'll most likely recognise Shalom from her role in BBC drama Our Girl, playing Private Maisie Richards alongside Michelle Keegan. She also appeared in Roadkill in 2020, as well as Cursed, Moominvalley and Bad Mothers.

Kelly Macdonald as DCI Joanne Davidson

First joined the cast: Series 6


Line of Duty bosses first announced Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald would be joining the cast for series 6 in 2020, when filming resumed after the Coronavirus pandemic.


Kelly's character DCI Joanne Davidson was the latest police officer to be investigated by AC-12, with her character finding out Tommy Hunter was actually her dad and her uncle! Despite being held in custody whilst investigations took place, Joanne got acquitted of all charges, with her going on to find love with a mystery woman.


Jed Mercurio said of Kelly's casting, "We're honoured that Kelly Macdonald will join Martin, Vicky and Adrian in series six of Line Of Duty. DCI Joanne Davidson will prove the most enigmatic adversary AC-12 have ever faced."


What other shows has Kelly Macdonald appeared in?


As well as appearing in iconic film Trainspotting, Kelly has starred in a number of popular shows over the years, including Black Mirror, The Victim and Girl/Haji.

Perry Fitzpatrick as DS Chris Lomax

First joined the cast: Series 6


Another newcomer to the cast for series 6 was Perry Fitzpatrick, playing the role of DS Chris Lomax.


Lomax was DCI Joanne Davidson's junior on the murder squad at Hillside Lane, working on the same team as DI Kate Fleming and Sergeant Farida Jatri.


Despite many thinking Chris could be a bent copper, he proved a force in finding out Gail Vella's real murderer and had a great relationship with Kate.


What other shows has Perry Fitzpatrick appeared in?


Perry has a brilliant CV! Not only did he work alongside Vicky McClure in This Is England and I Am, he has also appeared in Peaky Blinders and Downtown Abbey.

Who is DCI Joanne Davidson related to on Line of Duty?

Episode four of series six left an almighty cliffhanger when it was revealed that newbie DCI Joanne Davidson was related to a well-known OCG member.

Despite a lot of theories from fans, with the names John Corbett and coming up, it was revealed in episode five that Joanne is actually a 'blood relative' to Tommy Hunter, the former boss of the OCG.

Is Kate Fleming dead on Line of Duty?

As if there wasn't enough drama in episode four, episode five of series six left fans even more on edge, featuring a shoot out between PC Ryan Pilkington and DI Kate Fleming, which ended in viewers hearing TWO gun shots.

Although the episode ended there, die-hard Line of Duty fans have resurfaced a trailer, which seems to show Kate very much alive, with PC Pilkington being the victim of the gunshot.

In the clip, Superintendent Ted Hastings turns up at the crime scene with blue lights in the background, saying: "This is Superintendent Hastings, you'll be treated fairly with the full protection of the law."

Of course, we now know Kate is very much still alive!

How many series of Line of Duty are there?

Six series of Line of Duty have hit our TV screens, with series 6 airing in March 2021.

How many episodes in Line of Duty?

Series 1-5 of Line of Duty are all made up of six individual episodes. However, series 6 was made up of seven episodes, making it the longest ever series of the show.

Where is Line of Duty set?

Although most of Line of Duty has been filmed in Northern Ireland, it's understood the show is actual set in Birmingham, with maps of the city appearing on walls and telephone numbers using an 0121 area code.

Despite this, it's never been confirmed what the exact location is supposed to be.

Where is Line of Duty filmed?

The first series of Line of Duty was filmed in Birmingham, with series 2-4 moving to Northern Ireland.

Series 5 was also filmed in Northern Ireland, with residents in County Down sharing pictures of the crew at work in Dundonald.

Speaking to Belfast Live, actor Martin Compston, who plays Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in the show, said: "Aidy knows everyone and he's so proud of where he's from. He's a great guide for us because he loves Belfast. He's really keen to show the place off so he's always taking us to gigs, shows and different restaurants."

Line Of Duty series 6 was also filmed in Belfast.

Was Line of Duty re-written?

After filming for series 6 was put on hold, creator Jed Mercurio hinted that they may have had to end up re-writing parts of the series.

Speaking to Andrew Marr, Jed said: "We're all considering (a re-write). We shot for four weeks in a pre-lockdown world, and all that material would have to be re-shot if we were going to change things.

"That would have huge cost implications, but we are considering it."

Actress Vicky McClure, who plays the role of DI Kate Fleming, later added: "I am (keen to go back). Even if it means re-shooting what we've already shot."

Line of Duty lockdown sketch

At the end of May 2020, as lockdown continued in the UK, AC-12 virtually reunited along with the cast of both Unforgotten and Life on Mars.

Actors Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar all took part in the sketch which was in aid of charity Asks for Masks, as they were joined by fellow TV detectives to raise money!

The short clip, which was posted online by the show's creator Jed Mercurio, shows Superintendent Ted Hastings video call DI Kate Fleming as she's sat 'undercover' watching BBC drama The Nest. The shot then goes to DS Steve Arnott as he's chilling in his pool, before the stars of both Unforgotten and Life on Mars make an appearance.

Check out the lockdown sketch below:

Line of Duty Gogglebox

In October 2020, Line of Duty stars Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, Martin Compston all appeared on a special Celebrity edition of Gogglebox, in order to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer.

Line of Duty Sport Relief

There was a special one-off episode of Line of Duty, all in aid of Sport Relief. The sketch, which featured comedian Lee Mack, aired during the charity night on Friday 13th March 2020 on BBC One.

The sketch saw DI Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), and DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) interviewing DC Taylor (Jason Isaacs) about the identity of 'H', however they were soon interrupted by Jason's lawyer...

Of course, in true Sport Relief fashion, Jason's lawyer turned out to be comedian Lee Mack, who played the role of David Rickman.

Is Line of Duty a true story?

No, Line of Duty is a fictional TV series, however, viewers have previously been left confused after bosses decided to merge both fact and fiction throughout the early series.

At one stage, the show used a picture of Jimmy Savile, which became a massive talking point with fans. Despite a lot of backlash, advisers to the BBC defended the move, with a child abuse charity admitting they thought it was important to discuss the issues around taboo subjects.

At the time, Peter Saunders, founder of the NAPAC charity said: “It’s a fleeting moment, it’s not a large, in your face, long-lasting image of Savile. I’ve watched the first five episodes including this one and it is incredibly powerful. I don’t find it gratuitous – it’s a serious look at just how these b------- get away with it.

"Line of Duty is a very serious comment on police cover-ups, society’s cover-ups and the power of celebrity. I think all forms of media used responsibly and appropriately can contribute to the very serious conversation about this issue of vile child abuse and how it exists."

Who are the creators of Line of Duty?

Line of Duty was created and written by British television writer Jed Mercurio. The writer, who was born in 1966, has been ranked among the UK television's leading writers, creating edge-of-your-seat dramas like Line of Duty and Bodyguard.

Jed has been nominated and went on to win a number of prestigious awards for his work over the years, including British Screenwriters' Awards, Televisual Bulldog Awards and many more.

Who is ‘H’ in Line of Duty?

If you were an avid watcher of the series so far, you’ll remember the elusive crime lord, otherwise known as ‘H’, who appeared in every series and whose identity was finally revealed in the last ever episode.

Every series, the team tried to find out who ‘H’ really was - but the only thing we really knew for a while was that ‘H’ was running criminal activities and causing chaos in the West Midlands.

We’d been teased and dragged in desperation through all five series of who ‘H’ could possibly be. In series two, it could have been Tommy Hunter but he got killed off. It might have been DI Matthew ‘Dot’ Cotton in series three but he got bumped off too. Then, series four teased us with having names of characters with the letter ‘H’, including ACC Hilton but then he died too.

Then, series five had viewers convinced 'H' was in fact AC-12 boss Ted Hastings, but the story took another dramatic in the series finale. DCI Ian Buckells, played by Nigel Boyle, was revealed to be the mysterious character of 'H'.

Whilst viewers had waited years to finally see who 'H' was, Jed Mercurio actually revealed that he dropped a major clue to in the very first series of the show. Jed told the Obsessed With Line of Duty podcast that the fact that Buckells allowed Matthew 'Dot' Cottan to speak with criminal Tommy Hunter in the back of a van was a sign that he was a dodgy officer.

He said: "It was always really important to me that it was someone who had been in season one, someone who had been there the whole time. We did introduce some characters late, so Thurwell came in late, we went back to Fairbank, who'd appeared in season three, we had the Chief Constable, who had obviously been there since season one.

"But then I don't think he would have been a satisfying candidate because he had been absent for so long, it would feel like we'd just feel like we'd just brought him back in to pin it on me. It was really about the heritage of the series, going all the way back to season one, where Dot Cottan says, 'Oh, can I just have a quick word with Tommy Hunter in the back of the van?' and Buckells goes, 'Yeah, alright'. Okay, like, really, is that what you should be doing? Of course not."

Then in August 2022, Adrian Dunbar revealed that Buckells might not be 'H' after all. Speaking to the Radio Times, he said: "He’s not H. We just got the guy we could actually pin a charge on. We didn’t get H, we got Buckells, the patsy."

Adrian then explained that he thinks 'H' is 'probably' Chief Constable Philip Osbourne, adding: "Unless there’s another twist and someone’s pulling his strings".

What do the abbreviations in Line of Duty mean?

OCG - Organised Crime Group: Serious crime planned, coordinated and conducted by people working together on a continuing basis, mostly acting in different roles depending on their skills and expertise.

PACE - Police and Criminal Evidence Act: Established in 1984, a code of practice that regulates police powers and protects public rights.

REG 15 - Regulation 15 notice: A notice that advises an officer that a complaint has been made or a conduct matter has come to light that warrants investigation by professional standards department.

RIPA - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000: An act of Parliament of the United Kingdom, which regulates the powers of the public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covers the interception of communications.

RTC - Road Traffic Collision

ANPR - Automatic Number Plate Recognition: Technology is used to detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional and national level.

AC-12 - Anti-Corruption Unit 12: A dedicated unit that holds responsibility for investigating corruption within the police force.

CHIS - Covert Human Intelligence Source: A person who establishes or maintains a personal or other relationship with another person for the covert purpose.

AFO - Authorised Firearms Officer: A police office, who has been selected, trained, accredited and authorised by their chief officer to carry a firearm operationally.

ARVs - Armed Response Vehicles: ARVs are crewed by Authorised Firearms Officers to respond to incidents believed to involve firearms or other high-risk situations.

DIR - Digital Interview Recording: Digital device used to record police interviews.

IOPC - Independent Office for Police Conduct: A non-departmental public body in England and Wales which, since 8 January 2018, is responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints made against forces in England and Wales.

FI - Forensic Investigator: The FI gathers and preserves physical evidence at a crime scene to take to a lab where they examine what they or other law enforcement personal have found.

I.P. Address - Internet Protocol Address: A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

SFC - Strategic Firearms Commander: The SFC has overall strategic command of firearms operations, with responsibility and accountability for directions given.

UCO - Undercover Operative: A method use by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. They wear civilian clothes that fit in to avoid detection.


TFC - Tactical Firearms Officer: A TFC provides guidance on the appropriate use in respect of different tactical options involving the deployment of AFOs.

VPN - Virtual Private Network: The extension of a private network that includes links across shared or public networks, such as the Internet.

Is Line of Duty on Netflix?

Up until Saturday 31st October 2020, all five series of Line of Duty were available to watch on Netflix. However the show has now been taken off the streaming platform, leaving fans gutted.

How can I watch Line of Duty?

All six series of Line of Duty can be watched on BBC iPlayer.

Now read:

Line of Duty acronyms explained - including CHIS and DIR

Who was in the cast of Line of Duty series 6?

All of the TV shows we can’t wait to return

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