BBC’s hit police drama Line of Duty is finally set to make a comeback, the news has been announced four long years after the show ended in a controversial manner as H was unmasked
Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar, who plays Superintendent Ted Hastings on the hit police drama series, previously confessed his frustration over the ending of the last series.
The gripping crime drama series had fans on tenterhooks over the mystery surrounding the identity of ‘H’, the corrupt criminal mastermind that AC-12 were hunting for years. At the end of the sixth series in 2021, the mystery was finally solved and writer Jed Mercurio unveiled ‘H’ as a very unsuspecting character.
Fans of the show criticised the finale, which saw Ian Buckells unmasked as ‘H’, with many branding the twist as ‘disappointing’.
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And viewers aren’t the only ones to share their disappointment, as actor Adrian also shared his frustration.
Speaking earlier this year, the Ted Hastings actor said: “When you find out it is this idiot, Buckells, it is so frustrating. There is a scene where the three of us are told who it is, and we look at each other and go, ‘What?’ We asked Jed to write that scene because we realised how our audience would feel.
“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.”
Meanwhile, the actor also told Mirror’s Love TV magazine he expected the show to make a comeback. He said at the time: “We’re waiting for the BBC to make an announcement. It’s entirely down to the BBC how they are organizing it. And they’re perfectly within their rights for them to do whatever they want.”
Now, the show’s return has finally been confirmed for a seventh series which will also see the return of Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, who reprise their roles.
It comes just a few months after Ian Buckells actor Nigel Boyle teased the show’s comeback while appeared on BBC Breakfast. He said: “I can neither confirm nor deny. But I have heard that we are thinking about possible plot lines. But, it’s for a future- it’s a long way off, I think. Nothing is going to happen anytime soon.”
Meanwhile, the show’s star Martin Compston, who plays Steve Arnott on the series, broke his silence over rumours in May this year as he told The Sun: “We’re always talking about possibilities and schedules and whatnot.
“Everybody’s got stuff going on at the minute, so I think anything, unfortunately, would be a way off.
“You know, the day people stop asking about the show will be a sad day, so I’m delighted that people are still excited about it.
“We’d all love to work together again at some point. We still all meet up.
“I met with Jed [Mercurio, the show’s creator], Adrian [Dunbar] and Vicky [McClure] in London before Christmas – we went out for dinner, to hear what everyone’s up to.”
