Line of Duty star Martin Compston recently sparked speculation the show could be set for a return soon, after he insisted Danny Dyer would be a "great shout" to appear in the series.

The BBC police procedural show hasn't been on our screens for three years, since series six ended in early May 2021.

It stars Martin, Adrian Dunbar, and Vicky McClure as Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12) officers DI Steve Arnott, Superintendent Ted Hastings, and DI Kate Fleming respectively, who seek out dodgy coppers.

With Martin recently putting Danny forward for a celebrity cameo in the show, it has led to further discussion about when, or if, the programme might return, and which other stars might appear alongside the AC-12 trio.

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Line Of Duty Not Dead Yet

The fact Martin is even suggesting former EastEnders actor, Danny Dyer, could be worth casting in Line of Duty suggests the series is not as dead as legendary Line of Duty characters Matthew 'Dot' Cottan (Craig Parkinson), Lindsay Denton (Keeley Hawes), and Ryan Pilkington (Gregory Piper).

However, if another series of the Jed Mercurio-created show is secretly in the pipeline, then it doesn't look like it will happen this year.

Martin recently told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "They're some of my closest friends, we all love Jed [Mercurio], and we'd all love to work together at some point but there are no immediate plans. It's just getting us all together and stuff. We'd like to but yeah, these things are a bit complicated. But there are no immediate plans."

Following Martin's comments, it is 2/1 to return this year, but a much shorter 1/2 not to be back in 2024.

However, it wouldn't be the first time a series made a big comeback when the stars had been coy about a return.

Just last week, legendary BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey was confirmed to be returning for a final episode this Christmas, after several cast members previously admitted there were "no plans" for another.

AC-12's New Format?

While it won't go on forever, Line of Duty is just 2/7 to return either next year, or at some point in the future.

The main cast are always complimentary about the show and working with creator Jed, and it would be a big surprise if a series six follow up didn't ever materialise.

Adrian - whose character Hasting's legendary line about "Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey" has spawned T-shirts and GIFs aplenty - has even hinted the programme could return in a different format, in the shape of a three or four-parter, rather than a six or seven-episode series.

In 2022, Adrian told The Times newspaper: "There’s a big appetite for more Line of Duty. It could be three or four episodes, I don’t think there’s going to be six for some reason.

"It might be two 90 minutes. But it’s all entirely down to Jed what the storyline is going to be. It’s a big ask for him."

Whether those three or four episodes would have room for Football Factory star Danny, who Martin praised as a "wonderful actor", to make his mark on a potential seventh series remains to be seen.

The ex-EastEnders star is just 3/1 to return to the BBC for a Line of Duty appearance, which would see him follow in the footsteps of the likes of Thandie Newton, Jason Watkins, Kelly Macdonald, Anna Maxwell Martin, Neil Morrissey, Jessica Raine, and Daniel Mays, who have all brilliantly supported the leading trio throughout the six series.

Keegan In The Line Of Duty 

Michelle Keegan is the early 6/4 favourite to be a guest star in a potential seventh series of the show.

The former Coronation Street actress' career has gone from strength to strength since she departed the iconic Corrie cobbles, most recently leading the cast of Netflix hit Fool Me Once.

Another actor whose productions always seem to turn to gold if he is a part of them is Toby Jones.

The Mr Bates vs The Post Office actor has a glittering CV, including the likes of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Girl, and Detectorists, and he would be the ultimate guest star in a new Line of Duty series.

Toby - who voiced Dobby the House-elf in two Harry Potter movies - is 2/1 to pop up in a Line of Duty series, and The Gentlemen's Kaya Scodelario is 5/2 third favourite, narrowly behind Danny.

Other stars who might be in the conversation include Ralf Little.

Ralf could have a gap in his schedule after he recently departed BBC series Death in Paradise, and his best mate and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps co-star Will Mellor portrayed Rod Kennedy in Line of Duty season three.

A seventh Line of Duty series might even feature a Two Pints reunion with Sheridan Smith, who is just 5/1 to appear in the police procedural show.

What's more, the UK's 2024 Eurovision Song Contest hope Olly Alexander showed just how good an actor he is in Channel 4's It's A Sin, and he could pick up some Line of Duty tips from his on-screen mother Keeley.

He is 6/1 to appear in the series, and Peaky Blinders actress Sophie Rundle is a 13/2 chance.

Sadly, Brian McCardie won't be appearing in the next Line of Duty series after the actor - who portrayed mafia boss Tommy Hunter - passed away "suddenly" last month aged 59.

If another series does come to fruition then it'll be odds-on to be edge-of-your-seat entertainment.

Odds On A Line Of Duty Season 7 Taking Place In 2024

Yes 2/1

No 1/2 

Odds On A Line Of Duty Season 7 Taking Place In 2025 Or Later

Yes 2/7

No 7/2 

Odds On Danny Dyer Appearing In The Next Line Of Duty Series

Yes 3/1

No 1/3 

Odds On Other Stars Taking Part In The Next Line Of Duty Series

Michelle Keegan 6/4

Toby Jones 2/1

Kaya Scodelario 5/2

Danny Dyer 3/1

Ralf Little 4/1

Sheridan Smith 5/1

Olly Alexander 6/1

Sophie Rundle 13/2

Jenna Coleman 7/1

Katherine Kelly 8/1

Luke Pasqualino 9/1

Shaun Dooley 10/1