Line of Duty is returning for a seventh series and filming has been underway in Belfast for several weeks
Line Of Duty was forced to ‘pause’ filming of series 7(Image: BBC)
Production on Line of Duty was forced to ‘pause’ after riots broke out in Belfast.
The much-loved police drama makes one comeback for a seventh seriess, five years since its last episode aired in 2021.
After confirming its return, cameras quickly started rolling, with the cast and crew hard at work filming across the streets of Belfast.
Nevertheless, actor Adrian Dunbar, who plays Ted Hastings, has revealed that filming had to stop after the city was thrown into turmoil as violent disorder swept the streets earlier this month in the wake of a knife attack, reports Belfast live.
Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Adrian said: “We had to pause for the unrest and it wasn’t great. There’s a lot of things being stirred in Ireland at the moment and there’s a lot of social media that stirred a lot of pots here and a lot of idle hands that were sitting around were able to get off the street.”
He continued: “I think the demonstration that took place a few days later by the people of Belfast shows you what the real feeling is here towards immigrants, and it’s only a small minority of people who are allowed to go on the streets, so it was really unfortunate.”
In addition to the disruption from the riots, the production faced another setback when co-star Martin Compston sustained an injury during filming with an Airsoft gun, which is typically used as a substitute for real firearms on television and film productions.
Despite this, Adrian maintains that the biggest obstacle during production has been battling the elements, as relentless downpours have lashed the cast and crew in recent weeks.
The performers have been “drenched” while filming outdoor scenes. The actor added: “In between showers it’s going pretty well – a lot of showers come in, we get soaked to tell you the truth.”
Series six ended with the reveal of the enigmatic figure ‘H’ – the criminal pursued for years by AC-12’s anti-corruption team – who was revealed to be Detective Constable Ian Buckells, portrayed by Nigel Boyle.
Yet a recent report suggested the conclusion could be a false lead. A source told The Sun newspaper: “There was genuine anger at the way series six ended and that was part of the reason a seventh outing was commissioned.
“But this is the first time there’s been any news about whether they’ll be bringing back the ‘H’ story – and devotees will be thrilled to hear that Jed will give them just what they want.
“Although a new villain will likely still be introduced in the new season, as has been the case with every series since the show launched. But the incoming villain’s story will likely be intertwined with the ‘H’s’ in a sensational double-whammy.”
The sketch for the upcoming series reveals that AC-12 has been disbanded and renamed the Inspectorate of Police Standards.
The synopsis continues: “Anti-corruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott (Compston), Kate Fleming (McClure) and Ted Hastings (Dunbar) are assigned their most sensitive case yet.
“Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer who wins praise for a string of organized crime takedowns, is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a larger threat still operating in the shadows?”.
