Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar has teased fans that the hit police drama could soon be returning to our TV screens, saying it “looks like” a new series is coming.

The Co Fermanagh man – a fan favourite for his portrayal of Superintendent Ted Hastings in the show – was speaking to Times Radio when he let slip his view that AC-12 would soon be back on the beat.

When asked if the show was coming back, the 66-year-old actor said: “I hope so. Looks like it.”

“All the signals and everything is kind of, you know, (positive) but as somebody said, until the script hits the desk you can’t be 100% sure.

“So we’re all hoping that someone somewhere will make an announcement and say: ‘yes, it’s happening.’

“And we can all take it from there. I can tell you one thing… the day they announce it, it’s going to burn up the internet.”

Created by Jed Mercurio, Line of Duty — which was filmed in Belfast — last aired May 2021 with Ted Hastings and his team uncovering the identity of the ‘Fourth Man’ and derailing corruption from within the force.

Rumours were sparked about the future of the series last month when Dunbar was seen in London alongside fellow stars Martin Compston, who played DI Steve Arnott in the drama, alongside Vicky McClure who played DI Kate Fleming.

Sharing a video at the time in a rickshaw in the city, at one point in the clip Compston can be heard joking: “We’re back.”

Reports in recent weeks have also suggested the trio met Line of Duty’s creator Jed Mercurio for dinner to thrash out details for another new series.

During the interview with Times Radio, Enniskillen actor Dunbar spoke more about his character in the show and described his time working on it as a “humbling and satisfying experience”.

“To end up creating what is an iconic character on British television and also within an iconic TV show would have been a huge ambition of mine,” he said.

“And so to do it is a very humbling and very satisfying experience. So that’s how I’d describe it. It’s been something that, when you think about it, keeps you warm — it’s very, very nice.”