Line Of Duty creator reveals

Shock plans to AXE the show

Line Of Duty creator Jed Mercurio has hinted that he plans to scrap the show before viewers get bored, as the programme approaches its fifth series. The television writer, 53, suggested that he has already started plotting ideas for how the show will end because he is aware that the series has a ‘lifespan’.

Although the show has already been commissioned for a sixth series next year, Jed told The Mirror that he doesn't know how long it can go on for. Discussing how he thinks the show will end, he said: ‘I have had some thoughts. I don’t know how long it can go on for. I think a lot depends on how people respond to it.

‘I think we recognise that it has got a lifespan. We have to calibrate that against what the audiene response is.’ Martin Compston confirmed the sixth instalment of the BBC drama as he drove fans wild with huge season five spoilers during a recent appearance on This Morning. During Tuesday’s This Morning, the actor hinted he may

Jed told The Mirror that he doesn't know how long it can go on for.

not be returning to his lead role Anticorruption Unit Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott for the next season.

The Scottish star, 34, said it had been a ‘great’ seven or eight years in the role as he thanked TV bosses for a ‘job of a lifetime’.

He said: ‘I don’t know whether I’d be in it. You never know. We’ve filmed five. We’ve got six commissioned.’ Phil really grilled the star as he pointed out Martin would know whether his character was killed off or if he would reprise his role for the sixth season. Determined not to spoil Line Of Duty for fans, Martin remained tight lipped on whether he will appear in season six but he did say it had been ‘a job of a lifetime’.