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Is Line of Duty based on true events?

16 March 2021, 14:29

Line of Duty viewers are wondering whether it is based on a true story. Picture: BBC

Is AC-12 real? And is Line of Duty based on a true story? Here's what we know about series 6 of the BBC drama...

Line of Duty season six is finally here to get us through another few weeks of lockdown.

But while we’re all totally gripped by the drama, some viewers have been wondering whether it is based on true life events.

While Line of Duty is technically a fictional drama, many of the storylines feel as though they could be real.

So, is the BBC series based on true stories or is it totally made up? Here’s what we know about Line of Duty…

Line of Duty is 'within the realms of reality'. Picture: BBC

Is Line of Duty based on true events?

Line of Duty is fictional so there is no real AC-12 and the events which happen in the drama are made up, but there are similar anti-corruption branches operating across the country.

The Met Police has its own version which is now called the Directorate of Professional Standards (DOS).

The unit was previously known as the ‘ghost squad’ because so little was known about it, before it was renamed A10, then changing to CIB1, and later CIB2.

Line of Duty | Series 6 | Trailer

According to Mirror Online, a real-life police officer - known only as John - has advised producers of the show since the second season to make sure the plots are true to life.

He admitted writer Jed Mercurio keeps Line Of Duty 'within the realms of reality', telling The Independent last year: "Jed will always use dramatic licence, but there are very few places where he’ll push the boundaries of what police work is really like.

"The job can be a lot more complex and time-consuming than we’re sometimes able to show in the series, but I’ve spoken to officers of various forces and ranks, and they recognise the fundamentals of day-to-day policing are there.

"Most forces have several thousand employees and the drama focuses on a case involving two or three people”.

Line of Duty is a fictional drama. Picture: BBC

Jed has previously opened up about how he develops his storylines, saying ‘it’s important to be as close to the right procedures as possible.

He told Radio Times: “The starting point is with our advisers and I always get excited if we can use something I haven’t seen in any other series.

"We’d be naïve to think there aren’t corrupt people working for the police, but they’re few and far between and the DPS do a really good job bringing them to task.”

Filming for the sixth series kicked off last March in Belfast, but it had to be put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Show-bosses were able to resume production on the BBC hit in the autumn, with the whole cast returning to Ireland.

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