Line of Duty is back for a seventh series on BBC1 in January, with Robert Carlyle as guest lead and the anti-corruption unit AC-12 disbanded, as the team investigates a charismatic officer accused of being a sexual predator.
The six-part series, made by World Productions, was filmed in Belfast earlier this year. Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar reprise their roles as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings.
AC-12 Disbanded, New Unit Formed
When the seventh series launches, the anti-corruption unit in which the trio have successfully nailed many a bent copper has been disbanded. This time they will be working for the newly-created Inspectorate of Professional Standards, as they discover that anti-corruption work has never been more difficult.
Against this backdrop, they are assigned their most sensitive case so far.
Robert Carlyle Joins as Guest Lead
The cast will be joined by BAFTA-winning actor Robert Carlyle as the guest lead for this series, playing Police Constable Shaun Massie - a veteran marksman and a Specialist Rifle Officer who operates with Tactical Operations Unit 7 with the aim of taking down Organised Crime Groups.
As a gruff loner, Massie usually keeps himself to himself, but when TO-7's commanding officer DI Dominic Gough is accused of being a sexual predator, his normally detached attitude changes dramatically.
The Accused Officer and the Case
Gough is played by Tom Weston-Jones, a charismatic officer who has won awards over his career for a string of organised crime takedowns but now stands accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator.
But there could be more to it, with the team left wondering if his case is a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows.
Gough's TO-7 team also includes Gavin & Stacey actress Laura Aikman as DC Paula Beckman, This Town's Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin, and Ackley Bridge's Amy Leigh Hickman as DC Nira Rashid.
Returning Characters and Creator's Comments
Returning characters include Mark Bonnar as Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden, Owen Teale as Chief Constable Philip Osborne, Perry Fitzpatrick as DS Chris Lomax and Christina Chong as DI Nicky Rogerson.
The series comes five years after 17 million viewers watched the 2021 finale to discover the identity of H.
Creator Jed 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.”
And he quipped: “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.”
The lead actors said they were thrilled to be returning to the roles that now defined them. Martin said: “Line of Duty has been a job of a lifetime. Not only in terms of the show's success but the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with I now call some of my closest friends. I can’t wait to pull the waistcoat on again and get the team back together.”
