Line of Duty series 7: filming is done, but the BBC has no date yet

Fans searching for Line of Duty want one thing: a date. Filming for the seventh series has wrapped, so the news cycle has moved from casting to scheduling. The BBC has not published a premiere date. What is confirmed is that the show is back, that it runs to six episodes, and that it will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer [3].

What the BBC confirmed in November 2025

The BBC confirmed the return in November 2025. Creator Jed Mercurio writes the new run, which World Productions produces [1]. Filming was due to begin in Belfast in spring 2026 [1] [2].

The BBC posted a video on 16 March 2026, saying the next instalment "starts filming this spring" [3]. Filming started on Monday 23 March 2026 in Northern Ireland, and Jed Mercurio marked the first day with a photo of Robert Carlyle and a clapperboard, captioned "Line of Duty 7. Day 1" [3]. Vicky McClure confirmed on 11 July 2026 that filming was complete [3]. Casting details were announced in stages through the winter and spring, including further details on 18 March [3].

At the time of the announcement, TV Insider reported that an air date had yet to be confirmed [2]. That remains the position. Hello! Rayo, which tracked the casting and filming, says the BBC has confirmed a 2027 return without a month [3]. Treat any specific month you see online with caution until the BBC or its press office gives one.

Where the story stopped

The sixth series ran from March to May 2021. Its finale on 2 May 2021 revealed the identity of the corrupt officer known as "H", and drew 15.8 million viewers on BBC One. The Irish Times, citing PA, described that as the highest rating for a drama series this century, beating a 2000 episode of Heartbeat [1].

TV Insider notes that the 2021 finale wrapped up the long-running "H" story arc, and that at the time there were no plans for further seasons [2]. The earlier series aired in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021 [2]. The gap between that finale and the November 2025 announcement was about four and a half years, and the BBC's Lindsay Salt said the show would be back filming soon "after four long years" [1].

Cast and characters

Martin Compston returns as Steve Arnott, Vicky McClure as Kate Fleming, and Adrian Dunbar as Ted Hastings [2]. Dunbar said he was "Delighted with the news and looking forward to those mercurial twists and turns" when the return was confirmed [1]. The returning cast also includes Mark Bonnar, Owen Teale, Perry Fitzpatrick and Christina Chong [3]. Bonnar returns as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden, Teale plays Chief Constable Philip Osborne, and Fitzpatrick plays DS Chris Lomax [3]. Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far [3].

New characters are a bigger story. Robert Carlyle was announced as Detective Constable Shaun Massie in February 2026 [3]. DI Dominic Gough is accused of abusing his position of trust [3]. Laura Aikman, Levi Brown and Amy Leigh Hickman are also listed as new cast members, playing DC Paula Beckman, DC Luke Tobin and DC Nira Rashid [3].

The BBC also said the anti-corruption unit AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards [1]. TV Insider describes AC-12 as a fictional police force tasked with "policing the police" [2].

Why the return matters

The new run is also the last one, according to its lead. Martin Compston said on This Morning that the series is the end of the show: "This is the end. I think it would be fair to say that this is the end." [3]

The seventh series, a six-part run, is the final one according to Compston [3] [1].

What to watch next

The next confirmed step is a BBC announcement of the premiere month and channel slot, which the broadcaster has not yet given. Watch for the trailer, the first-episode date and the BBC iPlayer listing. Until then, the only firm facts are the cast, the six-episode run and the completed shoot. Press reports of a specific month have not been confirmed by the broadcaster, so the BBC's own announcements are the place to check first.