'Line of Duty' earns highest ever ratings with 11m viewers

The penultimate episode of the current series of Line of Duty has broken the show's ratings record.

Sunday's instalment of the police procedural drama was its most-watched episode ever according to the BBC.

It secured an average of 11 million viewers and 51.7% of the audience share, the broadcaster shared on Twitter.

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Creator Jed Mercurio said: Thanks so much to everyone watching #LineofDuty6. The whole production team is thrilled and flattered by the amazing response."

While most previous instalments have featured six episodes, the sixth series is set to end with a bonus seventh episode.

Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston have once again lead the cast with Trainspotting actor Kelly Macdonald signing up as this season's special guest star.

Line of Duty returned to screens in March with 9.6 million viewers, up on the last series’ finale, which saw 9.07 million tune in.

The sixth episode saw the cliffhanger from the previous week resolved as viewers learnt Ryan Pilkington (Gregory Piper) by Kate Fleming (McClure).

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Acting Detective Superintendent Joanne Davidson (Macdonald) also received a grilling at a questioning at AC-12, where a dark family secret was uncovered.

The explosive series finale is set to air on Sunday where viewers will hopefully be getting answers to their many burning questions.

With additional reporting by PA.

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