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Line of Duty season 7 tipped to air sooner than expected in 'vote of confidence' from BBC

Could the AC-12 drama be landing on our screens sooner than we thought?

Three adults stand shoulder to shoulder against a dark brick wall, facing the camera with serious expressions. The person in the center wears a dark tactical vest with police markings and a radio, over an olive jacket. On the left, a person wears a black police jacket with reflective check detailing. On the right, a person wears a blue suit with a white shirt and tie, hands in pockets. The lighting is dramatic and subdued, creating a tense, authoritative mood, with a green RT exclusive banner in the bottom right corner

BBC

Published: Monday, 2 November 2026 at 10:35 am

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Line of Duty fans are set to be reunited with its beloved cast and familiar theme music sooner than anticipated, with reports that the BBC drama has been bumped up in the broadcaster's schedule.

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Since the news of season 7 actually being a-go was confirmed back in November last year, fans have been waiting patiently for a release date. We've known the series would land some time in 2027, with many expecting a March slot in our watchlists – but the exact release date has remained a mystery.

However, it's now been reported that the new instalment of Line of Duty could be landing on our screens much sooner, right around the corner in January instead. If true, talk about a New Year's treat!

As reported by The Sun, the schedule move signals a "vote of confidence" in Jed Mercurio's returning crime drama. However, the BBC had no further comment or guidance to provide when approached by Radio Times.

Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar standing in the AC-12 offices.

Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar. BBC

What we do know for certain is that season 7 reunites AC-12 regulars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, reprising their starring roles as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings respectively. This time the unit itself has changed: the description for the new season reveals that AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards, with the trio drawn into a fresh and sensitive investigation.

The synopsis continues: "Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Ted Hastings (Adrian 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?"

Trainspotting and The Full Monty star Robert Carlyle has been announced as the season's guest lead, playing DC Shaun Massie. He follows in the footsteps of guest stars like Thandiwe Newton, Stephen Graham, Keeley Hawes, Lennie James, Kelly Macdonald and Anna Maxwell Martin.

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The BBC describes his new character as "a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO), a veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups".

It continues: "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".

Carlyle said in a statement that he was "delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty", adding that the scripts "will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show".

The reports of an earlier air date land amid a steady drip of upbeat messaging from the cast. Compston recently told The One Show that season 7 marks "the end of the story arc", describing the shoot as "definitely the hardest" of the run and the result as "pretty explosive". He stressed that the story was "fully formed" thanks to Mercurio's planning, saying: "I think, hopefully, it's going to be everything that the fans wanted."

Dunbar, meanwhile, has teased fresh additions to Ted Hastings's vocabulary, promising "a couple coming along this time" including his tip for the next viral catchphrase, "Don't stall the digger".

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Morgan Cormack, smiling against a lime green background

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.

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