Filming on the next series of Line Of Duty has begun.

The sixth instalment of Jed Mercurio's hit thriller is set a year and a half on from the events of series five, and will feature a brand new case for AC-12, focused on an enigmatic Detective Chief Inspector.

As previously announced, Kelly Macdonald will star as the DCI in question - Joanne Davidson - a senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case. Series leads Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar will all return.

Joining Line Of Duty for the first time this series are Shalom Brune-Franklin (Our Girl, Cursed), Perry Fitzpatrick (This Is England, I Am Nicola), Andi Osho (Kiri, Curfew) and Prasanna Puwanarajah (Doctor Foster, Patrick Melrose).

Both images are courtesy of Jed Mercurio

Line Of Duty is written and created by Jed Mercurio, and made for BBC One by World Productions. The new series will be directed by Daniel Nettheim (Broadchurch, Doctor Who), Gareth Bryn (Hinterland, Last Tango In Halifax), and Jennie Darnell (Bodyguard, Hetty Feather), and the producer is Ken Horn (The Moorside, Line of Duty series five). Executive producers are Jed Mercurio, Simon Heath for World Productions, and Tommy Bulfin for BBC One.

Competition: Win Line of Duty - Series 1-5 Boxset DVD

Line of Duty - Series 1-5 is released on 6th May

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and a copy to give away.

Synopsis
Line of Duty Series Five sees the return of AC-12 investigators Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), Detective Inspector Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) to tackle another major case of police corruption. The team are joined by some familiar faces, alongside a stellar line up of new characters, but who can they trust?

One of Britain’s great acting talents Stephen Graham gives an awe-inspiring turn as John Corbett, the ruthless leader of an Organised Crime Group (OCG) who hijack a seized drugs convoy. When three police officers are shot dead during the heist, AC-12 move in to investigate possible police collusion.  As the body count rises, AC-12 realise they could be facing their most vicious adversary yet.

With its intricate plots, and shocking twists that keep everyone guessing, there’s huge excitement building for the new series of the gripping Line of Duty, the show that everybody is talking about.

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For your chance to win just answer the question below.

Which actor plays Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line of Duty?

Send you name, address and of course the answer to competition@jonn.co.uk

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 13-05-19
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Line of Duty - Interviews - Stephen Graham, Rochenda Sandall and Jed Mercurio

Stephen Graham (John Corbett)

Why did you want to be part of Line of Duty?

Because I watch it and my mates are in it. Who wouldn’t want to go out and play with their mates?

Jed approached you for the series. What did he say to you during the first phone call? I take it you didn’t need any convincing?

No not at all. I’m a fan of the show anyway; I’ve watched it from the beginning. It was really nice, he just phoned me and said: “I’m writing this character which I think you’d be great for, I’d like you to have a look at it, it would be a pleasure to work with you, I like your stuff and I’m a fan of your work and it would be really nice to have you on board and become a member of the family.” Which was a lovely thing for someone to say, a writer of his calibre and somebody who I admire as a writer and a creator.

To say that they had me in mind when they were writing it is a hell of a compliment. So it was a no brainer. I said: “Yeah sure, I’d love to!” I was already doing it, even if I was only in five pages! But I read it and I thought even in the first four or five pages that I could see me doing this, this is juicy.

You lived in Belfast for the series, with some of your oldest industry friends. Did you have chance to spend time with them outside of filming?

Of course, we went for quite a few dinners which were nice after a hard days graft. We spent quite a lot of time together; we went over lines, we went through scenes together a lot, whether it was at my house or one of their houses. We went to the gym quite a few times together. Every opportunity we got we went out and about looking around - it was really nice! They showed me a few nice restaurants, predominantly curries, because Jed loves an Indian, so we spent a lot of time in a curry house! It was really lovely. I’ve worked in Belfast a couple of times, it’s a beautiful city and I love the people there, they’re really friendly and very welcoming.

You’re a part of some big action sequences - are they fun to do?

Of course, yeah! As a kid we used to play army and would run round the garden. Now, roll on 45, I’ve got an M16 in my hand and been told: “Here’s a load of ammunition, you’re not going to hurt anyone, just point it over there, don’t point it directly at each other, and shoot!” It’s a lot of fun jumping out of cars, shooting guns and rolling around on the grass and everything - it’s brilliant! It’s very exciting.

Were there any memorable moments on set?

Rochenda, Tomi (May) and I used to have a lot of fun on set, and John our director, he’s a bit of a champ. There was one bit when we’d just committed a robbery and we shot off, and we were actually driving through the streets of Belfast with our balaclavas and machine guns in the car and we realised we'd better get back to set! So that was quite funny, but wouldn’t have been too funny if people had seen! It was all a lot of fun; it was a lovely environment to work in.

Rochenda Sandall (Lisa McQueen)

Were you a fan of Line of Duty before you got the part?

Absolutely, I watched it every single year. When I auditioned for the part I watched it all again over two or three days. I was a massive, massive fan. It was the first time auditioning for Line of Duty and I got lucky, hole in one!

Have you found it tricky to stay quiet on the plotlines? Did any of your friends and family try to get the truth from you?

Of course they have tried to bribe it out of me! They love an exclusive. But the truth is, it’s like being told what a present is whilst you’re unwrapping it. It seems like a good idea, but it’s not - it’s underwhelming! I tell them to watch it like everyone else, I’m going to be watching it too as I wasn’t in some parts so they will be a surprise to me too and I want it to be that way. Even my agents haven’t read the scripts as they want to enjoy it as it comes out!

What can you tell us about your character Lisa?

She’s a lone wolf. Massively determined, ambitious, power-hungry and always wants more.

Did you have any action scenes and were they fun to film?

Absolutely, sometimes in the midst of them you can’t believe what’s happening as it’s so realistic - so there’s no acting required! They are set up in such a good way.

From being a fan, was there anything that surprised you about the show/how it’s made?

No real shocks but on a personal note, walking in and working with these amazing actors is mind blowing. It’s shocking how relaxed everyone is, you expect utter chaos but it runs like a well-oiled machine.

Were there any memorable moments on set?

Stephen had a cold one time on a freezing on a night shoot. He asked one of the dressers to put Olbas oil in his balaclava, but I think they put a drop too many in as his eyes just wouldn’t stop running. And he had to wear it all night, so he was just crying the whole time!

How was filming in Belfast?

I totally love that city; it’s in my top five I would say. It’s a nice place to mooch about in, good restaurants, lots of bars and pubs, markets and things to see. The people are really nice.

Jed Mercurio (Writer and Showrunner)

Where did the idea for Line of Duty come from?

I wanted to do a cop show that was different in some way from what was on normal television in terms of regular cops chasing down criminals; so I had the idea of an anti-corruption unit, basically cops verses cops and that became the central concept of the series.

Did you know where you wanted the story to go for series five?

In series five we enter new territory, because we get inside a criminal gang which is something we haven’t done before. The so called ‘balaclava men’, the organised criminal group who’ve been featured on and off through the preceding four seasons, are now featured more prominently in this series.

What about the choice of central character?

Our antagonist this season or our guest lead is John Corbett who is part of the organised criminal group that is the focus of AC-12 activity in series five. He’s played by Stephen Graham who is a fantastic actor and someone that we’ve all wanted to work with and is a great fit with the rest of our cast.

How would you describe his character?

John Corbett is probably our most dangerous and villainous character that we’ve ever featured as an antagonist. He’s involved in serious criminal offences, he’s the leader of a ruthless gang of violent criminals and I would say that he presents probably the biggest ever challenge to AC-12.

What was it like working with Stephen?

It was an absolute pleasure working with Stephen Graham. I’ve admired his work for many years, and what he brings is that real sense of authenticity. He works incredibly hard on the naturalism of the scenes so that when you do a take it feels like its live, feels like it is real.

What can we expect from this new series?

In this series of Line of Duty we enter brand new territory, what we see is criminal activity on a large scale and we’re actually inside the planning and execution of that. So rather than the aftermath being investigated by AC-12, we are actually with the criminals as they commit their offences. That means that there is high jeopardy and big action sequences, in fact probably more action sequences over the first few episodes of the series than were ever done before.

Line of Duty - Interviews - Martin Compston, Vicky McClure & Adrian Dunbar

Martin Compston (DS Steve Arnott)

What excited you about a project like Line of Duty? Why does it stand out from other dramas on television?

We’re on our fifth series now and every year it’s the scripts. It was the best drama I’d ever read when I auditioned for it the first time and every year I think "this is the year that Jed maybe doesn’t pull it out of the bag", but he does every time. With the move to BBC One last year and as the show goes on and on, it has to get bigger and a bit more flashy at times, but it’s the gritty realism he keeps in it all the time that makes it stand out. The scenarios are getting more elaborate but the way the police deal with it is still grounded in reality and I think that’s what makes it such compulsive viewing. It’s just nice to be back with Vicky and Adrian and back over here in Belfast - I’m having a blast!

How would you describe Steve’s character?

I really enjoy playing him and that’s one of the beauties of Jed’s writing. It’s a grey area because although Steve is sort of the hero, he’s not instantly likeable and usually the person we’re chasing (especially people like Lennie James in the first series), as a viewer, you find yourself rooting for the bad guy at times. Steve is just a lot of fun to play, he thinks a lot of himself which is why he’s always in a waistcoat, he’s a bit of a smart-arse and thinks he knows better all the time. He’s probably the most in line with Hastings out of all the characters as he’s always after the truth. And he’ll go after anybody, regardless of rank, but maybe he rubs people up the wrong way with the way he goes about it.

Where is Steve emotionally and psychologically at the beginning of the series?

As ever with Jed, everything is not quite as it seems. Steve has had the dramatic experience at the end of series four when he was in the wheelchair after being tossed down the stairs by balaclava man. At the start of the series by all intents and purposes he looks like he’s made a full recovery but as we go through the episodes you start to realise it’s not quite right, there’s stuff wrong with him physically and that’s starting to affect him mentally and this will bleed into the current series. He’s a bit broken at times and the great thing about knowing that we’ve been commissioned for another series is that Jed can delve into character’s backstories more and in this case I think we see that Steve’s just a bit lonely.

Were there any challenges you encountered during production?

I’m not sure how much we can give away, but this series there is a certain problem that Steve has physically, which was a bit of an eye opener when Jed told me about it. When you get down to the seriousness of it and how it affects him and his mental health, it turns out to be a very emotional scene.

What’s been your favourite scene to shoot?

We’ve been very lucky with the guest stars we’ve had over the years and I think that’s been a huge part of the success of the show; from Lennie James to Danny Mays, Keeley Hawes, Thandie Newton and Jason Watkins, but this is probably the most excited I’ve ever been. I’m lucky to call Stephen Graham an old friend of mine but he’s also an inspiration. Vicky’s character has a promotion this series which means Steve gets to be out and about a bit more. He’s doing the dirty work so to speak and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. There are some really intense scenes between Stephen and I and it was great just to be beside him. I think as an actor you always pick up your game around better actors, you always have to be on your toes!

Vicky McClure (DI Kate Fleming)

What excites you about Line of Duty, and what is it that sets it apart from other dramas?

What excites me is getting back together with the gang. Myself, Martin, Adrian and Jed all get on very well and there’s lots of returning crew and cast so that’s always great, but ultimately it’s the scripts which excite me the most. As soon as we get them they’re very much page turners; you want to see if you survive and Jed always seems to up the ante. In terms of it being different to other shows I think dialogue-wise it’s so rich and we rely a lot on the audience picking up on all the acronyms we put in every year. They like the fact they we test them and we challenge them.

How would you describe Kate’s character?

I’d describe her as very honest, maybe a little bit conflicted. She’s one of those people who always want to do what’s right but she can sometimes go with her heart as well. She likes to be there for Steve. He might have other ideas to evolve the case another ways, but she wants to try and do what’s right for the job and then also do what’s right for her friend; so she’s honest but conflicted.

Where is Kate at the start of the series?

She’s feeling pretty good, she’s got a promotion so she’s got a little bit further in her career and taking on more responsibility. She’s back with her fella and the home is a happy place. She’s got a bit more time with her son as her promotion gives her that flexibility so we see her in a good place.

Isn’t there someone special playing your son?

Yes my son is played by nephew Kai. When it was written originally I had a daughter, and I said to Jed it would be great if I could have a son instead because I could use my nephew. It will always be his role now and he really enjoys it; he did really well this year, he did some improvising, I’m very proud of him.

Was there anything you weren’t prepared for or any challenges you encountered?

I think the biggest challenge for me is the lines. It’s in the title… 'Lines of Duty' as I call it now. Sometimes the dialogue can be so complicated and you’ve just got rattle it out as naturally as you possibly can. You are tested on your memory in some ways. Actually trying to get the dialogue out in a certain space in time is always the biggest challenge for me.

Have you had a favourite scene to shoot?

I look forward to scenes where the dialogue is rough and ready. I’m a bit childish, if there’s a swearword or something that’s a little bit off-the-cuff I always enjoy it. There is so much police talk that when it becomes a bit more natural I quite enjoy it!

If there is ever action it’s always good fun; me and Martin have had a few bits where we’ve been running around and it just lifts us and gives us a bit of a buzz for the day.

Has it been interesting having a female director for the first time on Line of Duty?

It’s been amazing, I absolutely love what Sue Tully is doing. I think she’s bringing a different energy to it. John Strickland has obviously been with us some years so he’s an old hand at it. I’m really glad we’ve got a female director on board and I wish we had more, but Sue’s a great representation of being able to come in and know what she wants and gets it shot the way she wants. She is doing some really interesting things with the camera. Plus she’s an actor’s director; being that she was an actor, so she really understands what it is we need and that’s been great.

Adrian Dunbar (Superintendent Ted Hastings)

What excites you about a project like Line of Duty and what makes it stand out from other dramas on television?

As were going into the first series, you just get excited about how the stories’ developing. We’ve got a huge audience out there waiting to hear what’s going to happen to the characters and especially the three central characters; Vicky, myself and Martin who we’ve got to know over the years a bit more and I think the audience has become interested in them.

One of the strengths of the show is the fact that it has a very interesting format, in that you do have these three central characters in AC12, but we do bring in a lead character. A lot of the time it’s their show and we fit in around them. So rather than having a guest lead, it’s a proper lead, so that dynamic is different.

Some shows work on the basis of being procedural but ours is incrementally slow in its delivery of information because it’s genuinely procedural. It’s real; lots of people, police work, working on things very diligently, that brings the results. So I think those things are interesting. And also with the idea of the police investigating the police so we’re always up against people who are really clever.

How would you describe your character?

I think Hastings is a very interesting character; he is struggling to be good. Police work is a vocation to him, he believes in it, believes in the rule of law and he lives his life by that. But like everybody he struggles, so therefore those grey areas are the interesting areas to play with the character. I think he’s a character people respond to because they like to think there is someone out there who believes in the letter of the law and believes it’s worth fighting for. He’s got a very difficult personal life, sadly he doesn’t have any kids and I think that’s something that’s missing in his life.

Where do you think he is psychologically at the beginning of the series?

At the end of the last series, we left a question mark hanging over Hastings as to how much he actually knows about what’s going on regarding the organised crime groups and the institutional links. That’s something that’s going to be teased out throughout the series. I think that’s one of the main storylines and it’s something that people will be interested in because we have to clear up one way or another, if Hastings is tactically or completely involved.

One of the central themes of Line of Duty are the interrogation scenes. How do you approach them?

The interview scenes are difficult. Approaching them you just have to start learning the lines pretty early. They do take a long time and concentration. We shoot them mostly with three cameras over a couple of days so you’re looking not to have them spread out as much as you can so you can get on done and move on to the next one. You have to really work on Line of Duty, because the language is very difficult and what you’re describing is usually very technical and detailed, so you can’t busk it. So it’s just a question of getting your head down.

Line of Duty - Jed Mercurio’s smash hit drama returns to BBC One

Written and created by Jed Mercurio and made by World Productions for BBC One, Line of Duty returns at 9pm on Sunday 31 March.
When three police officers are shot dead during the hijack of a seized drugs transport, AC-12 move in to investigate possible police collusion.

Stephen Graham joins the series as John Corbett, the ruthless leader of an Organised Crime Group (OCG), who hijack a seized drugs transport.

AC-12 investigators Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), Detective Inspector Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) suspect corrupt police officers of leaking information.

As the body count rises, AC-12 realise they’re facing their most vicious adversary yet.

Line of Duty is made by World Productions (Bodyguard, Save Me) for BBC One.

Produced by Ken Horn, executive producers are Jed Mercurio, Simon Heath and Priscilla Parish for World Productions, and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC. The series is directed by John Strickland and Susan Tully. Line of Duty is made with support from Northern Ireland Screen.