Adrian Dunbar teases Line of Duty return but has one warning for fans

Adrian Dunbar has dropped a tantalising hint that the much-loved BBC drama Line of Duty could be making a comeback, three years after its nail-biting finale left fans wanting more. Despite earlier comments from co-star Martin Compston suggesting there were "no immediate plans" for a new series, and Vicky McClure's evasive manoeuvres when pressed on ITV's This Morning, the rumour mill has been in overdrive with whispers of a seventh season.

It seems the trio, along with show creator Jed Mercurio, have been in talks about a deal and potential filming dates. Speaking on Times Radio this Monday, November 11, Adrian teased: "I hope so. Looks like it.

"All the signals and everything is kind of, you know, (positive) but as somebody said, until the script hits the desk you can't be 100% sure. So we're all hoping that someone somewhere will make an announcement and say, 'yes, it's happening'. And we can all take it from there. I can tell you one thing...the day they announce it, it's going to burn up the internet."

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Adrian Dunbar, famed for his role as Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line of Duty, has spoken fondly about the character, saying: "To end up creating what is an iconic character on British television and also within an iconic TV show would have been a huge ambition of mine. And so to do it is a very humbling and very satisfying experience. So that's how I'd describe it. It's been, it's something that kind of when you think about it keeps you warm. It's very, very nice."

The actor has previously sparked excitement among fans about a potential return of the series. In a July 2024 interview on Good Morning Britain, when Susanna Reid suggested the show should come back, Adrian responded: "I think so, Vicky [McClure] thinks so, Martin [Compston] thinks so. Everybody thinks so. It'll be down to the BBC and Doctor Jed Mercurio I think, when and whether we do it."

He added that they were "all up for it" and "keeping their fingers crossed", hoping for a decision that would signal "they're off again! " However, Martin Compston, speaking to The Daily Mirror in April, tempered expectations by stating: "I'm sorry. They're some of my closest friends, we all love Jed [Mercurio], and we'd all love to work together at some point, but there are no immediate plans," reports the Irish Mirror.

He reiterated the challenges involved, saying: "It's just getting us all together and stuff. We'd like to but, yeah, these things are a bit complicated. But there are no immediate plans."