Line of Duty stars Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar have dropped the biggest hints yet that the BBC series is returning.

The police series was last on screen for its sixth season in 2021, which was touted as the end – though there have been recent rumblings that a seventh is on the way.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Ted Hastings actor Dunbar teased that “hopefully that’s going to happen”, adding: “We’re all keeping our fingers crossed, just waiting on the BBC to make an announcement.

“I know Jed [Mercurio]’s working away,” he said. “And I know me and Vicky [McClure] and Martin really want to do it. So hopefully next year we’ll be back in Belfast and rattling around the town making a nuisance of ourselves.”

Dunbar continued: “The wheels are turning on that. It’s just down to the BBC to make an announcement.”

ted hastings in 'line of duty'

World Productions / BBC / Bernard Walsh

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Steve Arnott actor Compston similarly dropped a big hint that the show would be coming back while appearing on Nicky Byrne HQ, with the star asked about appearing in Soccer Aid next year.

“I think, already, I know I’m filming next year. This will be a pretty good one this next show,” the star teased, joking that while he wouldn’t reveal what he was working on, he was “sure most people can have a guess, though”.

This isn’t the only time that Compston has addressed the rumours in recent months, with the actor suggesting that if a return were to happen, it would require all the stars’ scheduled to align.

martin compston as ds steve arnott, line of duty season 6

BBC

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“We’re always talking about possibilities and schedules and whatnot,” he told The Sun. “Everybody’s got stuff going on at the minute, so I think anything, unfortunately, would be a way off.

“You know, the day people stop asking about the show will be a sad day, so I’m delighted that people are still excited about it. We’d all love to work together again at some point. We still all meet up.”

The actor further admitted that they “really care about the quality of it”, and if Line of Duty were to come back “it would be for the right reasons”.

Line of Duty streams on BBC iPlayer.

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