THE BBC has stepped in to clear up fans’ confusion around the running time of the highly anticipated final episode of the current series of Line of Duty.
The police drama series, which was first broadcast in 2012, is due to conclude its sixth series on Sunday May 2.
Fans of the long-running show are eager to learn the identity of H, the last remaining bent copper who’s high up in the Organised Crime Group – also known as “The Fourth Man”.
On Friday morning fans of the show were over the moon to hear that the final episode would be a 90-minute special.
READ MORE: Line of Duty red-faced after glaring error about Scottish legal system
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, TV correspondent Ria Hebden said: "On Sunday there's a 90 minute special … yes 90 minutes and we'll finally get to see who H is."
However, viewers were confused to find that the BBC schedule was still saying that the show would only run for 60 minutes, from 9pm till 10pm.
One person asked on social media: "So this Sunday's #LineofDuty finale - I've seen one reporting that it's 90 minutes but the BBC only have it scheduled for 60. Which is true?"
Another wrote: "Why does my sky TV guide say @Line_of_duty is only on for an hour but people keep saying it's on for 90 minutes."
A BBC spokesperson has since stepped in to clear up the confusion.
They said that the show will in fact only be running for 60 minutes.
READ MORE: How an old-school TV drama is filling a hole opened up by Covid
It seems that the series’ chiefs had originally planned for a 90-minute final episode, but extra material created during production meant this was extended to a full two hours.
This added length meant that the final episode could be cut into two and broadcast over two weeks.
Series six will then conclude on its seventh episode, whereas the previous four series all finished on their sixth.
Just over nine million people tuned in to watch the final episode of series five in 2019, a number surpassed by the first episode in series six.
You can watch the trailer for the final episode in series six below:
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel