Line Of Duty Series 7 Odds: Hiddleston And Tennant Frontrunners To Guest Star

Line of Duty has been confirmed for a seventh series, sparking speculation on betting sites about who will play the main antagonist in the new season. 

The BBC has confirmed leading cast members Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar will reprise their roles as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming and Ted Hastings, respectively. 

However, the main characters will no longer be part of Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12), because it has been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards.

In the new series, the trio will be assigned their most sensitive case so far, as charismatic officer Detective Inspector Dominic Gough will be accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator.

They must determine whether Gough's case is a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows. 

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Loki's Line Of Duty? 

Following the exciting news, Line of Duty fans have been left wondering who will take on the role of Gough. 

Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Kelly Macdonald and Lennie James have previously guest-starred in the police procedural series, and Tom Hiddleston is the 6/4 favourite on entertainment betting sites to join the new season.

It's known that Hiddleston is returning to the much-acclaimed BBC series The Night Manager for a second series, which will drop on New Year's Day, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he popped back into BBC Studios to shoot Line of Duty. 

He knows all about playing a villain, after starring as Marvel Cinematic Universe character Loki, and it would be a huge coup for Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio and co if they could land Hiddleston for the new series.

Line Of Duty Series 7 Odds: Who Will Play Dominic Gough?

David Tennant is also no stranger to villainous roles. 

He recently portrayed cold-hearted Lord Tony Baddingham in Disney+ series Rivals, and sinister Ian Ventham in the Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club. 

Tennant has made no secret of the fact that he would love to play a bad guy in Line of Duty. 

Speaking in 2021, he told Radio Times magazine: "I'd quite like to be a baddie in a Line of Duty season. That's a big gig, isn't it? I'm available."

The show also last aired in 2021, and while it's not known if Tennant is still available, 7/4 says he is and joins the cast of the new series. 

Nick To Turn Traitorous? 

The Celebrity Traitors has been one of the biggest TV hits of the year so far, and that was partly down to Nick Mohammed. 

As a Faithful, he thought the game was won alongside historian David Olusoga and comedian Alan Carr, only for the Chatty Man host to turn out to be a Traitor on the BBC show. 

Could Nick turn Traitorous on Line of Duty? 

He is no stranger to playing a hard-hitting character after his usually kind-hearted Ted Lasso alter-ego Nate Shelley took a dark turn in season two, when he betrayed main character Ted. 

Nick is now just 15/8 on betting apps to join the seventh series of Line of Duty, just ahead of John Simm (2/1).

Simm knows plenty about portraying a police officer, and he has even done so for the BBC. 

He portrayed Detective Inspector Sam Tyler in Life on Mars, and, more recently, Simm played Detective Superintendent Roy Grace in the ITV series Grace, which also featured one of Line of Duty's ultimate corrupt officers - Craig Parkinson, who played bent copper Matthew "Dot" Cottan. 

Others who could be in contention to portray Line of Duty's Dominic Gough include Adolescence star Ashley Walters (5/2), Homeland's Damian Lewis (3/1) or the character's namesake Dominic West (10/1).

Pat May Be Back 

We know that Ted, Kate, and Steve are returning for the seventh series, which will start filming in Belfast in Spring 2026, but it hasn't been confirmed which other characters will join them. 

But Anna Maxwell Martin is the 8/15 favourite to reprise her role as feared character DCS Patricia Carmichael. 

Martin was asked about the possibility of a seventh series earlier this year, and she failed to rule it out, replying to Metro: "I would be killed by a sniper over there, so..."

Now that season seven has been confirmed, it wouldn't be a surprise to see her return, particularly as she loves portraying the character. 

She said on This Morning: "I love Pat. I'd do that again in a heartbeat. That part, I absolutely had a laugh. [The audience] didn't like her, but you know ... good!"

Line Of Duty Odds: Which Stars Will Return For Series 7?

Christina Chong is 4/6 to be back as DI Nicola Rogerson, after she previously admitted the cast had been asked about their availability, while James Nesbitt is Evens to make a comeback as DI Marcus Thurwell.

Nesbitt made a surprise cameo in series six as the dodgy senior investigating officer, and fans speculated at the time that Mercurio may plan to bring him back for a longer stint if series seven was ever made. 

Season seven is now close to becoming a reality, so he may need to clear his schedule.

* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.

Which character would you like to see return in series seven? Let us know in the comments below!