Line of Duty star Craig Parkinson predicts exit of major character in series six finale

Actor hopes character will go out with a ‘hero’s exit’

Former Line of Duty star Craig Parkinson has predicted the exit of a major character in this week’s season finale.

Parkinson played the role of Matthew “Dot” Cottan, the corrupt police officer known as “The Caddy”, in earlier series of the hit BBC drama.

The actor has shared his projection for the season’s conclusion ahead of its seventh and final episode, which is due to air on Sunday (2 May).

Speaking as a host on BBC’s Obsessed with Line of Duty podcast, Parkinson predicted that Superintendent Ted Hastings (played by Adrian Dunbar) is on his way out.

Fans have witnessed Hastings being forced into early retirement and replaced with AC-3 boss DCS Patricia Carmichael (Anna Maxwell Martin), which Craig believes is a sign that this season could be Dunbar’s last.

“They were signposting us that somebody is going to go and at first we thought Steve with his drink and drugs problem,” he said.

Parkinson continued: “I was never worried about Kate but I think what Jed [Mercurio, the show’s creator] was very mischievously trying to do was signpost that it could be Steve.

“But now after this episode, with those images of what Ted’s been reduced to, and physically and mentally where he is, yes I do believe he’s going to exit the show and he deserves nothing but a hero’s exit.”

Adrian Dunbar as Ted Hastings in the latest episode of Line of Duty (BBC)

Fans won’t have to wait long to find out whether Parkinson is correct, with the series six finale due to air on BBC One at 9.00pm this Sunday (2 May).

A trailer for the episode – which was released yesterday (26 April) – has promised viewers that the identity of “H” will finally be revealed.

Speculation and theories are flying with viewers desperately trying to work out the show’s final twist.

Many people believe Marcus Thurwall is alive, despite his character supposedly being found dead at a Spanish villa. Others suspect DCS Carmichael is “H” after spotting a potential clue in a previous episode.