‘Line of Duty’ Returns: Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar Reprising Roles in Season 7 of Hit BBC Drama

It’s official: Line of Duty is back.

Jed Mercurio’s hit police procedural will return to the BBC for a seventh series, with stars Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar reprising their roles.

The show last aired in 2021, and the season six finale was the biggest drama episode — excluding soaps — since modern U.K. records began in 2002, with an enormous 17 million viewers after 28 days.

The new six-part series, created and written by Mercurio and produced by World Productions in association with ITV Studios for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, will start filming in Belfast in spring 2026. Further cast will be announced in due course.

In season seven, AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott (Compston), Fleming (McClure) and Ted Hastings (Dunbar) are assigned their most sensitive case so far.

“Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer winning plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime, is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator,” reads a plot synopsis. “But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?”

Said creator, writer and executive producer Mercurio: “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.”

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added: “Line of Duty is beloved by audiences and critics alike and its amazing ratings are a true testament to the success of Jed’s writing, the work from the brilliant team at World Productions and the entire cast and crew. I’m so pleased that after four long years Line of Duty will be back filming soon and can’t wait for BBC viewers to be back on the edge of their seats.”

Compston described the show as “a job of a lifetime” while McClure said: “Belfast, we’ll see you soon!” Dunbar commented: “As we count down the AC12 days of Christmas what a joy it is to know that the Three Amigos will be back filming together next year. Delighted with the news and looking forward to those mercurial twists and turns.”

Line of Duty is written and created by Mercurio and made by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, which is handling international distribution. It will be directed by Jennie Darnell and the producer is Ken Horn. The executive producers are Mercurio, Simon Heath for World Productions and Nick Lambon for the BBC.  Line of Duty is made with support from Northern Ireland Screen.

The first six seasons of Line of Duty are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.