Line of Duty series 7: BBC One need to cast THIS actor as show's new bent copper
AC-12 is coming back, and these actors would fit the bill as a new villain
Line of Duty series 7 has been confirmed, and there’s only one thing we’re interested in: catching bent coppers… and deciding who should play the new villain.
Demand for Line of Duty series 7 was instantaneous after the divisive, fizzled-out ending of series 6.
After years of suspense, Jed Mercurio’s hit crime drama finally revealed the identity of H, the corrupt head honcho. Let’s just say, it wasn’t who anyone expected.
Filming on the new series will begin in Spring 2026, with Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, and Adrian Dunbar all reprising their roles. The question is, who will play Line of Duty series 7’s mysterious new villain?
Who is the villain in Line of Duty series 7?
Line of Duty series 7 will introduce Detective Inspector Dominic Gough as one of the show’s new villains. However, someone could be setting him up.
As teased by the BBC, he’s a “charismatic officer winning plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime [who] is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator”.
“But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?” the logline adds. The BBC hasn’t confirmed Gough’s casting.
These actors could play the series 7 villain
Whether or not Gough is the true villain of Line of Duty series 7 remains to be seen, but here are some candidates for who could join the cast in this important role.
Sean Bean
Line of Duty is a who’s who of British talent. So, why hasn’t Sean Bean shown up somewhere along the way?
He’s got a good relationship with the BBC, having starred in Time, Marriage, and This City is Ours. He’s also praised the show, telling the broadcaster earlier this year: “I like the crime genre. Series such as Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty. The BBC do them well.”
Most of all, he’s an acting heavyweight who can be sympathetic and menacing in the same scene. He’d be the perfect endgame boss (certainly more so than H).
Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman isn’t a stranger to BBC police dramas, having earned acclaim for his portrayal of Scouse cop Chris Carson in The Responder.
Similar to Sean Bean, Freeman is a globally known, talented dramatic actor who’d be believable as a crooked scapegoat or an even bigger villain.
Plus, he only has a couple of projects in post-production for next year, so he’s free for filming in 2026 (in theory).
David Tennant
Broadchurch has just dropped on Netflix, reintroducing David Tennant’s phenomenal turn as Alec Hardy, a tortured, brilliant detective.
What an inverse of that performance this could be; instead of a stern, sarcastic officer, he could be cocky and charming.
Tennant would be a major casting coup for the BBC, but given his relationship with the BBC (thanks to Doctor Who), it’s not out of the question.
Jon Simm
Jon Simm starred in one of the greatest BBC dramas ever made: Life on Mars. He also happened to play Sam Tyler, a detective inspector with the Manchester police.
His other projects may not have struck pop culture on the same level (Mad Dogs is fantastic, if you haven’t watched it), but he’s hugely recognisable.
Crucially, he has a diverse screen presence, making him capable of navigating a complex character like Dominic Gough.
Matthew Macfadyen
If you’ve seen Matthew Macfadyen’s work in Succession, you’ll know he’d be a perfect fit for a Line of Duty villain. He’s charismatic, likeable, but he has a devious energy.
Here’s something else to consider: he’s married to Keeley Hawes, who played Lindsay Denton, one of the best characters in the show.
As Tom Wambsgans said, “this feels scheme-y… redolent of thwart!”
Ben Whishaw
Ben Whishaw has played a killer-for-hire in Black Doves, a tech genius in Skyfall, and a frazzled doctor in This is Going to Hurt.
So, why does this make him a good fit for Line of Duty? He has done almost every kind of role imaginable, which would make him a difficult (and compelling) star to read when it comes to Dominic Gough.
He also qualifies as a heavy hitter in terms of British talent; he voices Paddington, for goodness’ sake.
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg’s comedic talents aren’t in question. However, his dramatic abilities have gone mostly unsung, despite great performances in The Boys (one of the best Amazon Prime shows), Mob City, and even the Mission: Impossible series.
If he’s cast as Dominic Gough, he’d already be playing against type as an accused sexual predator. It wouldn’t matter if he’s the endgame villain or a decoy – all eyes would be on him.
Daniel Radcliffe
Admittedly, this is a pie-in-the-sky wish. After all, Daniel Radcliffe hasn’t appeared in a movie or TV show since his voice role in 2024’s Mulligan, and he’s been turning his attention to theatre with Merrily We Roll Along.
That’s why he’d be the perfect choice. Who knows if Line of Duty series 7 is the final chapter or if there’ll be more, but Radcliffe would be an attention-grabbing piece of casting.
He is a bold and versatile dramatic actor, too, so taking on a high-profile role that’d surprise everyone (except us, of course) may be appealing to him.
The biggest villains in Line of Duty so far
There are plenty of bent coppers in Line of Duty. We’re not going to list all of them, but we will run you through the main antagonists from the first six series. Spoilers to follow…
Tony Gates
- Played by: Lennie James
- Appeared in: Series 1
DCI Tony Gates barely qualifies as a villain in Line of Duty, but he’s the first bent copper in the series, so it’s worth knowing what happened to him.
The show begins with him as the senior investigating officer in TO-20, a serious crime unit. However, he attracts the attention of AC-12, believing his success is a result of corruption.
They’re partly right. He covered up Jackie Lafferty’s hit and run, and became entangled with the organised crime group (OCG). In the end, he redeemed himself by turning in Tommy Hunter – but he killed himself “in the line of duty”.
Mike Dryden
- Played by: Mark Bonnar
- Appeared in: Series 2
Before he appeared in The Celebrity Traitors, Mark Bonnar played one of Line of Duty’s scummiest cops.
He was the Deputy Chief Constable of Central Police, but he was almost always in the wrong. He had an affair with Lindsay Denton, he engaged in sexual activity with a teenage girl, and he covered for his wife’s speeding offence so he had an alibi.
Dryden resigned and was made to serve a suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice. He got off lightly, if you ask us.
Lindsay Denton
- Played by: Keeley Hawes
- Appeared in: Series 2-3
Lindsay Denton is a complicated character. She was a dedicated police officer who wanted to see justice served, right to her bitter, heroic end when Dot Cottan shot and killed her.
However, she was undoubtedly (and thoroughly) bent. For example, she took a bribe that allowed the OCG to ambush a witness transport, and she constantly pushed the boundaries of the law in her personal pursuits. You could call her an anti-hero.
Patrick Fairbank
- Played by: George Costigan
- Appeared in: Series 3
If Lindsay Denton was a redeemable villain, Patrick Fairbanks was completely unforgivable.
The former chief superintendent was a pal to Ted Hastings, but it’s uncovered in series 3 that he was a paedophile who abused young boys at a social home. When he became a police officer, this allowed him to carry out his abuse and cover it up at the same time.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the end of the series.
Matthew ‘Dot’ Cottan
- Played by: Craig Parkinson
- Appeared in: Series 1-3
Arguably the most memorable villain in all of Line of Duty, Dot Cottan was a Detective Inspector who secretly worked with the OCG.
He was known as “The Caddy”, enabling corruption in the police force right under AC-12’s noses. When his cover was blown, he fled the office in a gunslinging escape, but he died taking a bullet for Kate Fleming, and he dobbed a few bent coppers in with his dying breaths.
Roz Huntley
- Played by: Thandie Newton
- Appeared in: Series 4
Roz Huntley may not have been directly affiliated with the OCG, but she resorted to crooked means to save her own skin. In the end, it didn’t work.
Series 4 opened with Huntley at odds with Tim Ifield, a forensic co-ordinator. Suspecting he’d reported her to AC-12, she visited him at his apartment, and a fight broke out. Huntley fell and hit her head on the counter, and believing her to be dead, Ifield tried to dispose of the body.
Except… she wasn’t dead. She woke up and accidentally killed him with a power saw. From there, she did everything she could to get away with it, but Huntley was imprisoned for manslaughter.
Ian Buckells… aka H
- Played by: Nigel Boyle
- Appeared in: Series 1, 4 and 6
“H”, the final corrupt officer to be caught by AC-12 in Line of Duty series 6, was supposed to be a big reveal.
Instead, it was someone who was in the show all along but went undetected: Ian Buckells.
It’s not that it didn’t make sense. He worked with bent coppers early in his career and he had good relationships with senior corrupt figures (like Derek Hilton). Buckells was also promoted four times in just 16 years, despite his subpar performance as an officer.
In series 4, he was especially disdainful towards AC-12, which should have been the biggest clue. In the end, it was his actions around Operation Lighthouse (the investigation into the murder of journalist Gail Vella) that led to his arrest.
You may think he wasn’t capable of being H, but remember what he told Hastings: “I’m a blundering fool? I’m only the one who’s made total mugs out of you lot.”
Read more: The best films on BBC iPlayer you can watch now
Line of Duty series 1-6 are on BBC iPlayer now.
