Jed Mercurio’s beloved police corruption drama Line of Duty could be set to return for a special three-part finale in 2023, according to recent reports.
The Sun has claimed that the show’s three main stars – Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston – are all in line to reprise their roles for a shorter final season, and that the episodes will bring the show to an “explosive climax”.
The BBC declined to comment when approached by RadioTimes.com about the report.
The potential future of the ‘bent copper’ series has long been a hot topic. It last appeared on our screens in May 2021 when its sixth season came to an extremely divisive conclusion following the unmasking of criminal mastermind H.
Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting official news regarding a further run, but although the main stars have all gone on record to state their desire to return, no renewal has been confirmed.
Following the finale, BBC’s chief content officer Charlotte Moore said she was “looking forward to having a conversation with the team about where we go next and what the future of the series might be,” but Mercurio has previously stated that the series “may have reached ‘the Chandrasekhar Limit’, at which a mass collapses under its own gravitational force”.
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According to The Sun’s report, a TV insider was quoted as saying: “There was a very strong feeling, particularly among fans, that there was unfinished business with Line of Duty. Viewers weren’t satisfied with the ending of season 6 and were crying out for a more sensational conclusion — now Jed can deliver that.”
The article also claims that the potential closing season could essentially retcon the reveal at the end of the sixth run and unmask a different figure as H – proving that Det Supt Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle) was just a red herring all along.
Previously, Adrian Dunbar had told Radio Times magazine that he was “hoping something might happen next year” and that there was “something in Jed’s laptop – a couple of templates as to how things could go” while more recently he reiterated to RadioTimes.com that he would be “very keen” to return.
If the reports are true, the finale could air over the Christmas period in 2023, but we’ll keep you updated as and when more official developments come through.
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