Anna Maxwell Martin, who was DCS Patricia Carmichael in series five and six of Line of Duty, addressed the ongoing rumours about a possible seventh season of the BBC drama
Anna Maxwell Martin has hinted at a potential new series of drama Line of Duty.
The actress was in the fifth and sixth series of the popular BBC programme, which won multiple awards and attracted 13 million viewers at its peak. It seemed to have wrapped up in 2021 but many fans have been holding out hope for a seventh season.
Anna, who portrayed DCS Patricia Carmichael in the drama, was asked by reporters this week if there are any plans for a new series. Giving a rather cryptic response, the 47-year-old star said she couldn’t reveal anything specific. The actress, of Beverley, East Yorkshire, simply quipped: “I would be killed by a sniper over there, so…”
The BBC is yet to confirm any plans to reboot the programme, which also starred Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar. Recently, Martin, who played Steve Arnott, claimed there was “nothing coming soon” regarding a new season.
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Line of Duty, which first aired in 2012, secured an international cult following and was nominated for multiple BAFTAs, including Best Drama Series in 2015 for its second run and Best Leading Actress in 2018 for Thandfie Newton’s performance.
But the future of the police drama remains uncertain. During his recent interview Martin, 40, said it would be up to the show’s creator, Jed Mercurio, to decide on whether a new season is proposed.
Martin, who this year has been in psychological thriller Fear, said: “If he decided to kill any of us off, we’d be gutted. We’d only do it for what’s best for the show, and if that was his decision, then that would be it. What’s great about it at the moment is we’re not planning on doing it, but it’s nice knowing it’s ‘out there’. That’s a lovely feeling.”
However, Adrian, who portrayed Ted Hastings, gave a more optimistic response. The 66-year-old actor, who has since been the title character in Ridley on ITV, was asked whether the show will return. Adrian, who is from Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, said: “I hope so. (It) looks like it. All the signals and everything is kind of (positive) but as somebody said, until the script hits the desk, you can’t be 100% sure.” All six seasons of Line Of Duty are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
When Anna received the Leading Actress award for her role in the crime series Until I Kill You at the 2025 Royal Television Society Awards on Tuesday night, she delivered a hilarious acceptance speech. Upon taking to the stage to accept her award, Anna admitted she was already “hammered” from making the most of the event’s free bar.
