Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar has given fans a hint at what to expect from the new series – and it’s an update many are sure to be happy about.
The Irish actor has played police superintendent Ted Hastings in all six series of the hit crime drama, with his character becoming known for his quaint and idiosyncratic turns of phrase.
Previous years have seen Hastings utter such phrases as “Now we’re sucking diesel”, “I didn’t float up the Lagan in a bubble”, and “Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey”, with some of his expressions entering the lexicon of Line of Duty fanatics.
Speaking on the BBC’s Red Lines podcast during an interview at Belfast's Lyric Theatre, Dunbar said that there were more such phrases being lined up for the show’s forthcoming return.
“I’ve got a couple coming along this time in this series,” he said.
“I say something like, ‘Come on, guys, don’t stall the digger’. ‘Don’t stall the digger’ is going to be my new one.”
Alluding to the way that his past quotes have been merchandised – with fans buying items such as shirts and mugs with Hasting’s phrases on – Dunbar quipped: “There’ll be a mug for that, too.”
The actor also explained that his character’s distinctive idiolect had roots in his own upbringing.
“‘Mother of God’ was something my father used to say all the time,” he stated. “So I kind of stuck that in a couple of times and it worked.”
Line of Duty is expected to return to the airwaves next year, with the BBC having formerly suggested that the 2022 series six finale would be the show’s final episode.
After years of speculation, it was announced in November that Line of Duty was indeed returning for another series, with Dunbar set to reprise his role alongside fellow series leads Martin Compston and Vicky McClure.
Last week, McClure offered fans an update on the new series, confirming that it had already finished filming.
In an interview with The i Paper, McClure said: “I’m fresh out of Belfast; we only finished filming two weeks ago. I feel like I’ve bagged the best gigs over the years – I was unsure if I’d ever get a job at one point.
“You just can’t predict this industry at all. So, to be able to continually go back to a series and work with good friends like Martin [Compston] and Adrian [Dunbar], who are like family. It was a real pleasure.”
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