Three years ago, I was sat in my local pub when the final episode of Line of Duty series six ended. The place went absolutely mental. Half the punters were shouting at the telly; the other half looked proper gutted. “That can’t be it,” my mate Charlie said, pint halfway to his lips. “There’s got to be more.”

Well Charlie, you might just get your wish. Adrian Dunbar Line of Duty fans have been waiting ages for good news, and the man himself has finally delivered it in spectacular fashion.

The Big News That’s Got Everyone Buzzing

As reported by The Telegraph on July 27, 2025, Adrian Dunbar revealed the answer we have been waiting for all these years. “Oh, it’s definitely coming back. Next year sometime,” he said, as clear as noonday. No “maybe” or “we’ll see”; he said yes. Now that is confidence and real swagger from the man who played Superintendent Ted Hastings. For someone who usually keeps his cards close to his chest, this was massive.

The Northern Irish actor didn’t stop there either. In another recent chat with The Times, he let slip that “Jed is writing. We’ve talked to the BBC.” That’s Jed Mercurio, the genius writer behind the whole show, actually putting pen to paper again.

What’s Really Going On Behind the Scenes

Here’s what I reckon is happening. The Sun newspaper reports that writer Jed Mercurio and three main stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, have committed to return for a seventh series, to start filming in January 2026. That’s not just wishful thinking; that’s proper planning.

Adrian Dunbar Line of Duty return has been on the cards for ages, but this feels different. The man’s practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. “We’re really excited about getting our hands on a Line of Duty script to see what happens to us,” he told reporters.

You can tell he’s proper chuffed about the whole thing. After years of playing coy about whether AC-12 would return, he’s finally singing like a canary.

Why This Matters So Much

Let me tell you something about Adrian Dunbar that might surprise you. The man’s been

acting for decades, but Ted Hastings is the role that made him a household name. Before Line of Duty, he was one of those “oh, it’s that bloke from that thing” actors. Brilliant, but not quite famous.

Then along came Ted Hastings with his “mother of God” catchphrases and his relentless pursuit of bent coppers. Suddenly, everyone knew who Adrian Dunbar was.

The show ended in 2021 after six series, and fans have been crying out for more ever since. The series was first broadcast on BBC Two beginning on 26 June 2012. Additional series followed in 2014 and 2016. It began airing on BBC One in 2017, with another series in 2019. The final series aired in 2021, concluding on 2 May 2021.

That’s four years without new episodes. Four years of fans wondering who He really was, whether AC-12 would survive, and if we’d ever see Ted Hastings again.

The Man Behind the Legend

Adrian Dunbar’s not just an actor; he’s become a proper cultural icon. Walk into any office in Britain and mention “mother of God” in a Northern Irish accent, and everyone knows exactly what you’re on about.

But here’s the thing about Dunbar that really gets me. Well, the dude is 66 and has more energy than actors half his age. Just recently, in some of his interviews, he’s been discussing issues as sensitive and revealing as the Troubles right up to Partygate — just so you know it’s not all fun and games with him.

Raised in Enniskillen through some of the darkest periods in Northern Ireland’s history. That background gives him a proper understanding of what corruption and institutional failure actually mean. It’s not just acting for him; it’s personal.

What We Can Expect from Series Seven

Based on what Adrian Dunbar‘s been saying, this isn’t going to be a quick cash grab. The man’s talking about getting properly stuck into new scripts, which suggests Jed Mercurio’s putting serious thought into where the story goes next.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed that next year we’ll be working on a new series,” Dunbar said recently. That’s not the talk of someone just going through the motions.

The smart money says we’ll see filming start in early 2026, with the new series hitting screens sometime later that year. That gives Mercurio plenty of time to craft something special.

Why Adrian Dunbar Line of Duty Works So Well

Here’s my take on why this partnership between actor and character works so brilliantly. Dunbar brings proper gravitas to Ted Hastings. He’s not trying to be cool or flashy; he’s just a decent copper trying to do the right thing in a bent system.

The man’s got this way of delivering those catchphrases that never feels forced. “Now we’re sucking diesel” shouldn’t work coming from a senior police officer, but somehow Dunbar makes it feel natural.

And let’s be honest; we need Ted Hastings back. In a world where trust in institutions is at rock bottom, having a fictional character who genuinely tries to do the right thing feels important.

The Bigger Picture

What really impresses me about Dunbar’s approach to all this is his honesty. He could have kept playing the “we’ll see what happens” game for years, keeping fans guessing. Instead, he’s come out and said it straight; Line of Duty is coming back.

That takes guts in an industry where actors usually hide behind their agents and publicists. But that’s very Adrian Dunbar; no nonsense, straight talking, proper Northern Irish.

The man’s also been smart about his career since Line of Duty ended. He’s done other projects and kept busy but never forgot what made him famous in the first place.

What This Means for British Telly

Line of Duty’s return isn’t just good news for fans; it’s massive for British television. The show was pulling in 12 million viewers at its peak. That’s proper appointment television in an age when most people watch everything on catch-up.

Having Adrian Dunbar Line of Duty back on our screens means we get one of the best police dramas ever made continuing its story. And with Dunbar confirming that all the main cast are returning, we’re not getting some watered-down version.

The Bottom Line

After years of speculation, Adrian Dunbar has finally given us the news we wanted. Line of Duty is definitely coming back, probably in 2026, with all the original cast.

The man who made Ted Hastings a household name is clearly buzzing about returning to AC-12. And if Adrian Dunbar’s excited about it, then frankly, so am I.

We might not know who H really is yet, but we know one thing for certain; mother of God, we’re getting more Line of Duty. Now that’s what I call proper policing.