One Of The BBC's All-Time Best Crime Dramas Officially Returns In 2027 After A 6-Year Break

Published Aug 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT El is a Junior TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue's UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor's in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel. One of the BBC's all-time best crime dramas will officially return for a new season, six years after its original finale. The BBC has produced dozens of incredible crime dramas and thrillers this century, including Sherlock, Peaky Blinders, Luther, Happy Valley, Killing Eve, and so many more. Still, despite the overwhelming global popularity of those shows, few have had viewers glued to their seats (or inspired countless imaginative theories) quite like celebrated British TV writer Jed Mercurio's serialized, six-season anti-corruption epic. Across 36 episodes, Line of Duty explores the horrific effects of institutionalized corruption in the fictional Central Police, as the anti-corruption detectives of unit AC-12, led by Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), and Kate Flemming (Vicky McClure), try to root out officers affiliated with organized crime, hoping to get closer to the mastermind behind a seemingly widespread operation. While Line of Duty has some incredible high-stakes action sequences, it really shines during its interrogation scenes. You'll never forget the sound their recording device makes once it's turned on during an interview. When Line of Duty's original finale aired in 2021, it became the most-watched (non-soap) drama episode in the UK "since modern records began" in 2002 (via BBC). The show was a genuine phenomenon, featuring incredible performances by its leading trio and A-list British talent, including Bodyguard's Keeley Hawes, Mission: Impossible II's Thandiwe Newton, Adolescence's Stephen Graham, and The Walking Dead's Lennie James. Frankly, it's no surprise that Line of Duty is officially returning for a seventh season next year, though how it will be received remains to be seen. Line Of Duty Season 7 Can Redeem The Show's Original Divisive Ending Credit: BBC For years, the show was anchored by the mysterious identity of "H", believed to be the final ringleader of Line of Duty's primary OCG (Organized Crime Group). No spoilers here for those who haven't seen it, but the Line of Duty finale's reveal of the elusive "fourth man" proved divisive among viewers, with many lamenting the lack of a more competent, imposing, Moriarty-like villain (some believed it was Ted Hastings himself). Instead, Mercurio opted for a less glamorous approach, a realistic commentary on police corruption and what happens when ordinary people are motivated solely by greed and a lust for power. Still, there are plenty of theories that the fourth man's reveal was a red herring, with Mercurio leaving a few storylines and questions left untouched in case the show was ever renewed for a seventh season. The BBC confirmed Line of Duty season 7 over four years later, in November 2025. With Kate, Steve, and Ted all set to return, there's no reason to believe their investigation into the show's OG OCG and "H" ever truly came to an end. What new clues might they find this time around? Everything We Know About Line Of Duty Season 7 The season 6 finale ends on a very somber note: "AC-12’s powers to curb wrongdoing in public office have never been weaker." As a result, in the new season — penned once again by Mercurio — the iconic AC-12 unit has been officially disbanded. In its place is the Inspectorate of Police Standards, which leads the reunited trio of Kate, Steve, and Ted to their most sensitive and possibly most public case so far. A high-ranking officer, Detective Inspector Dominic Gough (Tom Weston-Jones), has been accused of being a sexual predator. There's more to this case than meets the eye, however, as the BBC's official synopsis teases that the investigation might be "a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows." In the story, Gough has become a lauded detective specifically for his success in cracking down on organized crime as the leader of Tactical Operations Unit 7. This real star of the season, however, following in the footsteps of James, Hawes, Newton, Graham, and Kelly MacDonald, is the iconic Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, Once Upon a Time), who will play Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer for TO-7 whose world is turned upside down when his boss is accused of sexual misconduct. Returning to Line of Duty alongside Compston, McClure, and Dunbar are Mark Bonnar as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden, Owen Teale as Chief Constable Philip Osborne, Perry Fitzpatrick as DS Chris Lomax, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Christina Chong as DI Nicky Rogerson. Line of Duty's seventh season commenced filming on location in Belfast earlier this year and is confirmed to premiere in 2027 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. ITV Studios will handle international distribution (episodes are currently available to stream in the US via BritBox, Acorn TV, Peacock, and Prime Video). What will Kate, Steve, and Ted find when they crack open their next case? Thankfully, viewers will be reunited with them soon enough. Release Date 2012 - 2026-00-00 Directors David Caffrey, Douglas Mackinnon, Daniel Nettheim, Michael Keillor, John Strickland, Jed Mercurio, Sue Tully, Gareth Bryn, Jennie Darnell Writers Jed Mercurio