Line of Duty season 7 gets major production update as show creator reveals "mesmerising" performance
Plus, a first look at the script... sort of.
Five years after we last saw AC-12 on our screens in Line of Duty season 6, developments on the drama's long-awaited seventh season are now gathering pace – with a read-through now having taken place.
An photo has been shared from the day, showing returning cast members Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar alongside new star Robert Carlyle.
Meanwhile, the BBC has teased that filming will begin in Belfast in spring 2026 - meaning there can only be a matter of weeks to wait until production officially kicks off.
Following the read-through, the show's creator Jed Mercurio posted on X: "Thrilled everything’s coming together for #LineofDuty7. Robert Carlyle was mesmerising at yesterday’s script read through. Steve, Kate and Ted have met their match!"
Compston, McClure and Dunbar also appeared in a video shared on socials, as they showed off the script – although good luck spotting any of the lines as McClure rifled through the pages...
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As was previously revealed, Carlyle, the guest lead for season 7, will be playing Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO) and veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups.
The description for the character says: "A gruff loner, Massie keeps himself to himself, but when his boss, TO-7's commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie's otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically."
The synopsis for the new season says that it sees AC-12 having been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards.
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The synopsis continues: "Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott (Compston), Kate Fleming (McClure) and Ted Hastings (Dunbar) are assigned their most sensitive case so far.
"Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer winning plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime, is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?"
Watch Compston talk to Radio Times last year about the return of Line of Duty.
Line of Duty seasons 1-6 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
