So, what should we expect from Line of Duty season 7? I have some questions

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Adrian Dunbar, Martin Compston, and Vicky McClure are constantly working! As soon as one of them finishes a TV drama, another one appears in a new show. Because we feature them so often, we at TopMob consider them close colleagues and friends.

There are two key points to understand about this situation. First, all three individuals acknowledge their current success and ability to launch their own TV shows is largely thanks to being hand-picked by Jed Mercurio. They are the most prominent former collaborators on Line of Duty, his hugely popular police thriller which ended in 2021 after six seasons. The final episode drew 15.79 million viewers, making it the highest-rated UK drama ever recorded.

After much speculation, the BBC has officially confirmed that season seven is happening! This is fantastic news for those in charge at the BBC, and for fans of the show. It’s rare for a TV series to consistently grip audiences like ‘Line of Duty’ did over six seasons. Starting as a quiet hit on BBC Two, it launched the careers of its main stars and became known for its willingness to unexpectedly kill off even famous guest actors – a show where even stars like Stephen Graham and Daniel Mays weren’t safe. The series revitalized careers, like Keeley Hawes’ after her role as Lindsay Denton, and introduced memorable phrases – from Dunbar’s poetic sayings like “now we’re sucking diesel” to the police procedural jargon that became instantly recognizable.

The popular police drama Line of Duty concluded in 2021, revealing the identity of the central villain, ‘H,’ in a season finale that drew a large, shared audience – reminiscent of how big TV events used to be. However, the reveal proved divisive. Many viewers were disappointed that ‘H’ wasn’t a grand, mastermind-type villain, or even the beloved character Hastings. Instead, the ultimate antagonist turned out to be the seemingly unremarkable DSU Ian Buckells – a choice that highlighted the show’s message that incompetence can allow corruption to flourish. While I was one of the few satisfied with this subtle conclusion, most viewers expressed their disappointment and wished for a different outcome.

After six years of requests, Mercurio has finally given in. Breaking his own rule of leaving audiences wanting more, he’s decided to provide exactly what they’ve been asking for – a fresh burst of inspiration.

I’m really curious to see how they’re going to address what happened with H being revealed – it felt a bit… unresolved. I keep wondering if Steve Arnott is going to realize the whole of season 6 was just a huge misdirection, like a dream! Or maybe there’s a clever clue from way back in seasons 4 or 5 that Jed was saving for a moment like this. It’s just… Jed always prefers endings that are thought-provoking and realistic, not over-the-top. So, I’m wondering how he’s going to balance staying true to that style with giving us fans the big, satisfying conclusion we’re hoping for. It’s a tough act to follow!

All we can say for certain is that, just like he’s done before, Mercurio will continue to surprise us until the very end.

Here’s a video of Gregory Piper and Nigel Boyle, known for their roles in Line of Duty, talking about the possibility of a seventh season. This conversation took place at the TopMob Covers Party in 2022.

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2025-11-19 13:04