Police drama Line of Duty will return to the BBC for a seventh series, with Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston set to reprise their roles in the hit show.
A new six-part series, written by creator Jed Mercurio, will begin filming in Belfast in the spring, the BBC has confirmed.
McClure said she was “very excited” for the series to return, and Dunbar added: “What a joy it is to know that the Three Amigos will be filming together again next year.”
The last series concluded in 2021 with a finale that attracted more than 17 million viewers. Speculation about a return has been rife since then, but Mercurio and the BBC have not confirmed it until now.
The BBC has not yet announced when the new season will hit screens.
The season six finale ended the show’s long history of searching for the criminal mastermind known as “H”, and the BBC and the creative team behind the show said at the time that there were no plans for any further series.
However, the corporation confirmed on Tuesday that a seventh series is already in development.
Season seven will begin with AC-12 disbanded and renamed the Police Standards Inspectorate, the BBC has confirmed.
Steve Arnott (Compston), Kate Fleming (McClure) and Ted Hastings (Dunbar) are still working to tackle corruption in the police force.
The BBC said its line of work “has never been more difficult and, in this challenging climate, [the trio] “They have been assigned their most sensitive case yet.”
A new character, Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer renowned for a series of organized crime takedowns, is accused of abusing his position to act as a sexual predator.
But his case could be a deliberate distraction from a larger threat still operating in the shadows, the ad joked.
In a statement, Mercurio said: “Everyone involved in Line of Duty feels enormous gratitude to the fans of the show.
“We are privileged to have had many of you following the ups and downs of AC-12 for six previous seasons and we couldn’t be more delighted to return for a seventh.”
He added: “Corruption in this country is supposed to have come to an end while Line of Duty was off the air, so I’ve been forced to use my imagination.”
Line of Duty launched in 2012 and became one of the most popular TV dramas of the last decade, attracting guest stars such as Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Kelly Macdonald and Lennie James.
Compston described appearing in the crime drama as “his life’s work.”
“Not only in terms of the success of the program, but also the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Now I call some of my closest friends.
“I can’t wait to put the vest back on and get the team together,” he said.
McClure added: “Needless to say, I’m very excited that Line of Duty is back! I can’t wait to work with Jed, Martin and Adrian again. Belfast, see you soon!”
Dunbar commented: “As we count down the AC-12 days to Christmas, it’s a joy to know that the Three Amigos will be filming together again next year.
“Delighted with the news and looking forward to those fickle twists and turns.”
