'Ted Hastings with a Zimmer frame': Adrian Dunbar addresses rumoured Line of Duty return

Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar says he wants to see a comeback of the hit BBC crime drama before he gets any older. The Enniskillen man plays Superintendent Ted Hastings in the BBC police drama for over a decade but has admitted that he and all of his castmates want to return for a seventh series.

Created by Jed Mercurio, the show last appeared on screens in May 2021 with Ted Hastings and his team uncovering the identity of the 'Fourth Man' and derailing corruption from within the force.

The cast members have hinted at a possible return by updating their WhatsApp group chat about the show, suggesting a new season could be on the cards. However, the show's bosses have yet to comment on the possibility, three years after the last gripping series aired.

READ MORE: Line of Duty star says she'll 'never work again' after co-star exposes 'tactic'

READ MORE: Films and TV shows made in Northern Ireland to binge

Speaking to The Times over the weekend, Dunbar, 65, said: "We all want it to come back. It’s apposite that today should be their [castmates Vicky McClure and Martin Compton's shared] birthdays because I really don’t want them getting any older.

"I don’t want to get any older either because we don’t want to be coming back when we’re in a wheelchair. 'Ted Hastings with a Zimmer frame."

Days earlier, when questioned over Line of Duty future, Vicky McClure was overwhelmed as she desperately tried to dodge the grilling. This Morning's Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard asked the Kate Fleming actress, on the set of the daytime show to promote her new series Insomnia, if she would ever reprise her role, the Mirror reports.

Vicky, 41, was clearly in a tough spot as she claimed there was "no news" to share about Line of Duty and as the presenters continued to question her, she took hold of a cushion on the couch as she refused to "start a rumour."

Ben kicked off the conversation by stating viewers had "expectations", which prompted Vicky to interject: "We've all said we love the show, we would want to go again but there's nothing to talk about. So it's really disappointing in terms of 'no news'."

And when Cat insisted, suggesting that Vicky had not responded to Ben's question with "a definite no", the actress turned to her left to find a cushion, her weapon against any question she couldn't answer.

"I'm just going to get this cushion and just put it over my face", she said, leaving Cat and Ben in hysterics, before adding: "We're so lucky and we love the show, we can't tell you how grateful we are (...) it is amazing but I would hate to start a rumour."

In his interview with The Times, Dunbar, who is making his debut in a musical in the classic Kiss Me, Kate, also addressed finding fame as Ted Hastings at the age of 53.

He said: “I’m sure it’s much more difficult to deal with in your twenties. Whereas when you’re in your fifties, you can throw a pretty sanguine eye over the whole thing. And just realise it’s part of the job and take it as it comes, be nice to people and all the rest of it.”

He also said he doesn’t take the sex symbol label that his Line of Duty role brought him too seriously either, adding: “You have to approach it with all the humour and hilarity that it deserves.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What's On newsletter.