Line of Duty is officially returning for Series 7 in 2027, and the first-look pictures give fans their first glimpse of AC-12’s comeback. Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar are reprising their iconic roles as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings, while Robert Carlyle joins the BBC crime drama as a troubled police marksman.
The highly anticipated six-part series will arrive on BBC iPlayer and BBC One, bringing the central trio back together for another major investigation. However, things have changed considerably since viewers last saw them: AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Professional Standards.
The new pictures offer an exciting preview of the returning characters, the new police team and the latest case at the heart of Jed Mercurio’s hit drama.
Filming wrapped in Belfast earlier this year, with production handled by World Productions, the company behind Bodyguard and Vigil. Here is everything we know about Line of Duty Series 7, including the first-look images, cast, plot and expected release date.
Line of Duty Series 7 first-look pictures: What do they reveal?
The first-look images confirm the return of the show’s much-loved central characters, with Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar back on screen as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings.
The trio face a very different professional landscape this time around. AC-12, the anti-corruption unit that has been at the centre of the series since the beginning, has been disbanded. Its replacement, the Inspectorate of Professional Standards, must continue the difficult work of investigating police corruption in an increasingly challenging climate.
The new series sees the familiar faces assigned their most sensitive case so far, with the investigation threatening to expose more than one layer of wrongdoing.
What is Line of Duty Series 7 about?
Series 7 centres on a Specialist Rifle Officer whose commanding officer is accused of being a sexual predator.
Robert Carlyle guest leads the new series as Police Constable Shaun Massie, a veteran marksman operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7). The team specialises in taking down Organised Crime Groups, and Massie is described as a gruff loner who generally keeps himself to himself.
However, his detached demeanour changes dramatically when his boss, Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator.
Gough, played by Tom Weston-Jones, is a charismatic officer who has received praise for a series of successful organised crime operations. But the allegations against him raise serious questions about his conduct and the people around him.
There is also a bigger question hanging over the investigation: could the case against Gough be a deliberate distraction from a more serious threat still operating in the shadows?
As the Inspectorate of Professional Standards begins its investigation, Hastings, Arnott and Fleming will have to establish what is really happening within the specialist police unit.
Who is in the Line of Duty Series 7 cast?
The seventh series brings back the three leading stars, alongside several familiar faces and a host of new additions.
Returning cast
Martin Compston as DS Steve Arnott
Vicky McClure as DI Kate Fleming
Adrian Dunbar as Superintendent Ted Hastings
Other returning cast members include:
- Mark Bonnar as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden.
- Owen Teale as Chief Constable Philip Osborne.
- Perry Fitzpatrick as DS Chris Lomax.
- Christina Chong as DI Nicky Rogerson.
Robert Carlyle joins as Shaun Massie
Robert Carlyle joins Line of Duty as Police Constable Shaun Massie.
BAFTA-winning actor Robert Carlyle is the major new guest lead for Series 7. Known for Trainspotting, The Full Monty and 28 Weeks Later, he takes on the role of PC Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer and veteran marksman.
Massie works with Tactical Operations Unit 7, helping to tackle organised crime. His loyalty to his commanding officer and his reaction to the allegations against Gough are expected to be central to the new storyline.
Tom Weston-Jones as DI Dominic Gough
Tom Weston-Jones plays DI Dominic Gough
Tom Weston-Jones, whose previous credits include Warrior and Sanditon, plays the TO-7 commanding officer.
Gough has built a reputation as a charismatic and successful detective, but the allegations against him threaten to undermine everything he has achieved. His case could also conceal a much larger conspiracy.
The new TO-7 team
The specialist unit also includes three new cast members:
- Laura Aikman as DC Paula Beckman (This City Is Ours, Gavin & Stacey).
- Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin (This Town, Girl Taken).
- Amy Leigh Hickman as DC Nira Rashid (Ackley Bridge, You).
More new cast members
Further additions to the Series 7 cast are:
- David Calder (Motherland, Rivals).
- Steven Elder (Prisoner, Toxic Town).
- Dominic Mafham (Vigil, Killing Eve).
- Aimee Powell (Believe Me, Art Detectives).
- Naomi Yang (Under Salt Marsh, Maternal).
Who is making Line of Duty Series 7?
The new series is written and created by Jed Mercurio, the writer behind the show’s previous six series.
Mercurio is also directing episodes four to six, taking charge of the second half of the six-part story.
Production comes from World Productions, part of ITV Studios. The company is also responsible for acclaimed dramas including Bodyguard and Vigil.
Filming took place in Belfast and wrapped earlier in 2026.
When is Line of Duty Series 7 released?
Line of Duty Series 7 is confirmed for 2027, with episodes coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
Reports suggest the new series could launch in January 2027, although the BBC has not confirmed an exact premiere date.
The new run will consist of six episodes, continuing the show’s established format.
How many episodes are in Line of Duty Series 7?
There are six episodes in the seventh series.
The new run will follow the Inspectorate of Professional Standards as it investigates the allegations surrounding DI Dominic Gough and the specialist police unit. Further details about the individual episode titles and weekly broadcast schedule have yet to be announced.
Why is Line of Duty returning after so long?
The return reunites Compston, McClure and Dunbar for the first new series since the sixth instalment concluded in 2021.
The show’s central characters have become a major part of British television, with viewers following their investigations into police corruption, institutional cover-ups and organised crime.
The decision to disband AC-12 gives the new series an opportunity to change the dynamics while keeping the familiar trio at its heart. The Inspectorate of Professional Standards faces a difficult new case, with the allegations against Gough potentially leading to a much wider investigation.
With Robert Carlyle joining the cast and Jed Mercurio back at the helm, Series 7 promises another complex case for the team to unravel.
Line of Duty Series 7 is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027. The six-part series is expected to launch in January, although an official release date is still to be confirmed.
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