The wait is finally over for Line of Duty fans when the hit crime drama makes its highly anticipated return to screens.
Viewers have been frantically reminding themselves how series 5 ended in time for series 6 to begin on Sunday night, with creator Jed Mercurio promising plenty more drama.
Line of Duty has had scores of viewers on tenterhooks since it made its debut on the BBC in 2012, with more than nine million viewers tuning in to see the gripping climax of the fifth run.
Filming on the sixth series was temporarily halted in Northern Ireland last year due to the coronavirus pandemic but fans will finally get to cast an eye on the latest exploits of AC-12 this weekend.
Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston are all back in action, alongside Kelly Macdonald makes her debut as guest lead Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson, the senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case whose suspicious conduct attracts the attention of Anti-Corruption.
Another newcomer to the Line of Duty cast for series 6 is Shalom Brune-Franklin, seen last year in BBC One's political thriller Roadkill, will play Chloe Bishop, a new addition to the AC-12 team.
Line of Duty cast for series 6
DS Steve Arnott - Martin Compston
DI Kate Fleming - Vicky McLure
Superintendent Ted Hastings - Adrian Dunbar
DCI Joanne Davidson - Kelly McDonald
DC Chloe Bishop - Shalom Brune-Franklin
Gail Vella - Andi Osho
PC Farida Jatri - Anneika Rose
Ian Buckells - Nigel Royle
Rohan Sindwhani - Ace Bhatti
Lomax - Perry Fitzpatrick
DI Nicola "Jolly" Rogerson - Christina Chong
Creator Jed Mercurio said Line of Duty team were "honoured" to have newcomer Kelly McDonald on board.
"DCI Joanne Davidson will prove the most enigmatic adversary AC-12 have ever faced," he said.
Piers Wenger, controller of BBC Drama, described Macdonald as "one of the UK's most versatile actors, saying: "We're excited for viewers to see what Jed's scripts have in store for her when she joins the Line of Duty team."
