Everything you need to know about series six of Line Of Duty

BBC1, SUNDAY 21 MARCH, 9PM

Line Of Duty isn’t just a TV show, it’s a phenomenon. The series finale of season five was watched by nearly 13million people in May 2019, almost unprecedented for a TV drama – apart from creator Jed Mercurio’s own Bodyguard. On one level, Line Of Duty follows a classic TV cop show formula: each series features the core AC-12 anticorruption unit team of Superintendent Ted Hastings, DI Kate Fleming and DS Steve Arnott investigating a different alleged bent copper, from Lennie James’ Tony Gates in the first series in 2012, right up to Kelly Macdonald’s DCI Davidson in the new, sixth series. But at the same time, a much bigger, over-arching narrative of highlevel police corruption has been playing out, in which pretty much every major character has, at one time or another, been embroiled.

SUSPICIOUS MINDS

It’s been almost two years since that fifth series aired, partly due to a seven-month delay in filming due to the global pandemic, as Martin Compston explains in our interview on page 38. So, anticipation for this new run is greater than ever. That last series focused on an organised crime group, and suspicions that iconic AC-12 boss Hastings might have connections to it – and could even be the legendary dodgy cop known as “H”. But it turned out “H” wasn’t just one person, but was, in fact, code for four senior corrupt cops. We now know three of those were “Dot” Cottan, who was killed at the end of series three; police boss Derek Hilton, who was shot dead in series four; and senior police legal advisor Gill Biggeloe, who was unveiled at the end of series five. Now, there’s one more member of the conspiracy at large.

NEW CASE

The new series establishes Kelly Macdonald’s DCI Davidson as a fascinating character from the off. She’s been leading the investigation into the murder of a celebrity, a case with strong echoes of the real story of Jill Dando. But just as new information comes to light, AC-12 are alerted to Davidson’s suspicious behaviour. It’s not as violently action-packed as some previous series openers – this one feels more like an intense psychological thriller, whose revelations pack an enormous punch. Prepare to be utterly gripped all over again. HHHHH Boyd Hilton