Who watches the watchers? AC-12, that’s who. Jed Mercurio’s fictional anti-corruption police unit has thrilled BBC audiences for five series by bringing bent coppers to justice.
Since 2012, they’ve gone up against top brass, organised crime, cunning colleagues and even one of their own (four or five of their own, if anyone’s counting. Only Vicky McClure’s blue-eyed hard nut Kate Fleming has yet to fall under suspicion).
All the way back in February 2020 BBC One posted this image of the main series six cast at the official script readthrough. And then in early 2021, it was confirmed that series six would comprise not the usual six episodes, but seven. They’d managed to find enough in the edit to tell the story over a longer timeframe, and honestly, who’s going to complain? This show is a national obsession.
As more news arrives about the next Line Of Duty run, we’ll pass it on below…
Line Of Duty series 6 – The Geek Lowdown
How many series are there? Five with one on the way
Renewed or cancelled? Was renewed for series six in May 2017
Next series air date confirmed? Sunday the 21st of March at 9pm
Where to watch? BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Created by: Jed Mercurio (read our spoiler-filled creator interviews here)
What happened last time: read our series 1-4 recap here and our spoiler-filled series 5 episode reviews here
Line of Duty Series 6 trailer: Kate under suspicion
Here it is, the first official trailer for the new series, featuring flashing lights, gunfire, True Blue Ted, our first proper look at Kelly Macdonald’s DCI Joanne Davidson, and a very cheeky editing suggestion that Kate is a bent copper (For the DIR, Kate is not a bent copper. Let’s not all go mad like last time.)
Line Of Duty series 6 cast: Kelly Macdonald is the new star
Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Daniel Mays, Thandie Newton, Stephen Graham… and now Kelly Macdonald. Over six series, BBC thriller Line Of Duty has racked up quite the collection of guest leads.
For series six, Trainspotting and Boardwalk Empire actor Kelly Macdonald will play the role of Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson, the senior investigating officer of an unsolved murder “whose unconventional conduct raises suspicions.”
(Or to translate that into Line Of Duty speak, she’s a DCI SIO and possible nominal.)
Regular cast leads Adrian Dunbar (never doubted you for a minute, sir), Vicky McClure and Martin Compston are also back.
Line Of Duty series 6 plot: ‘the most enigmatic adversary ever faced’
It sounds as though AC-12 will have their work cut out for them in series six (well, it’s not as though it’s ever just tea and biscuits with that lot). When Kelly Macdonald’s casting as DCI Davidson was announced, series creator Jed Mercurio described her character as “the most enigmatic adversary AC-12 have ever faced.”
More enigmatic than Roz ‘Poker Face’ Huntley or Lindsay ‘did she do it?’ Denton? That’s fighting talk.
Read more: spoiler-filled interview with Jed Mercurio on series five, Ted Hastings and more.
Line Of Duty series 6 release date: confirmed for March 2021
Previous to the production delay caused by the global pandemic, the new series was expected to arrive in late 2020, but has now been confirmed to be returning on Sunday the 21st of March 2021, at 9pm on BBC One.
Read more: new British dramas on their way to television in the next year or so.