One of the U.K.’s best-ever crime shows is making a surprise and long-awaited return to be bigger than ever!
When one mentions British crime shows, the first thing that comes to mind is “cozy” series set in small hamlets where a local policeman or amateur detective solves murders. But the U.K. has just as many big-city police dramas that can rival what the U.S. gives viewers.
One of the biggest was Line of Duty, which began in 2012 and ran six seasons to 2021. The series was one of the most watched in U.K. history, with the sixth season finale in 2021 attracting a whopping 17 million viewers.
That appeared to be the end of it, but in a surprise move, the BBC announced that Line of Duty is coming back for a new six-episode series in 2026. It’s not a reboot but a continuation under creator Jed Mercurio and with original stars Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston. Filming is set to begin in Belfast in the spring of 2026.
In a statement, Mercurio said:
"Everyone involved in Line of Duty feels enormous gratitude to the show's fans. We're privileged to have had so many of you follow the ups and downs of AC-12 over six previous seasons and we couldn't be more delighted to be returning for a seventh. 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."
It’s an exciting return for this amazing show that garnered such a huge following over its run.
What is Line of Duty about?
The series revolves around Detective-seargent Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), a former anti-terrorist agent now assigned to Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12). The unit’s job is to investigate possible police corruption, which includes inserting Arnott into the suspect’s own unit. He’s aided by Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) as they report to Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar).
Each season follows a formula of Arnott and Hastings investigating a different suspected corrupt cop. The installments are notable for a major guest star as the possibly dirty officer, who have included such names as Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Thandie Newton, Stephen Graham, and Kelly McDonald.
The seasons are often a cat-and-mouse game between the AC-12 officers and their quarry, bringing up issues of police corruption and political influence. There’s also a long-running subplot involving the search for “H,” a secret high-ranking police inspector feeding info to organized crime.
The sixth season finale appeared to be the end of the series, finally exposing the truth about “H.” So what can a new series be about?
What is Line of Duty season 7 about?
It’s still in the early stages for the series, with the BBC announcement only stating it will involve “'The show's most sensitive case so far.” It is known that the series will open with AC-12 disbanded and renamed the Inspectorate of Police Standards and their work "has never been more difficult, and, in this challenging climate, [the trio] are assigned their most sensitive case so far".
The target of this new unit is Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, who is described as “a charismatic officer celebrated for a string of takedowns of organized crime, is accused of abusing his position to act as a sexual predator. But his case could be a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows.”
It’s likely the show will address the public perception of the police since 2021 and how the team has to handle both public and political backlash to their actions. The show was always marvelous balancing the character drama with the cops conflicted over investigating one of their own and if it was worth looking the other way on ethics to get the job done.
More casting is expected for Gough and other characters before filming begins. But the return of one of the U.K.’s best-ever cop shows is great news for its many fans!
Stream Line of Duty on Hulu, BritBox, Acorn TV, Prime Video, CWTV and Tubi.
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