Anna Maxwell Martin set to return to Line of Duty as DCS Patricia Carmichael in series six

Pat is back, fellas! (Spoilers for Line of Duty ahead)
Anna Maxwell Martin will return in the next episode
BBC

Jesus, Mary and Joseph: Anna Maxwell Martin, aka Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael, will make her return to Line of Duty on Sunday night.

DCS Carmichael, the boss of AC-12’s fellow anti-corruption unit AC-3, made her debut in Jed Mercurio’s bent copper bonanza towards the end of series five, when she was brought in to interrogate Superintendent Ted Hastings about his perceived links to organised crime.

Hastings was later vindicated, of course, because he sticks to the letter of the law, but the straight-talking Carmichael quickly established herself as a fan favourite.

In the most recent episode of the BBC One hit, Hastings was forced into retiring by Deputy Chief Constable Andrea Wise, who revealed that - brace yourselves - a restructuring was in the works at Central Police. This shake-up would divert funding away from anti-corruption work, forcing AC units 3, 9 and 12 to reduce their head count and merge.

Brace yourself for a flurry of Reg-15 notices - Pat’s back
BBC

With a level of candour worthy of her other on-screen alter ego, Julia from Motherland, Maxwell Martin noted: “I can’t remember what she’s doing there, nor would I be allowed to blab, but suffice to say she’s got some new clobber and she’s ready to bust some balls.” We wouldn’t have it any other way.

With AC-12’s future uncertain, could Carmichael’s comeback suggest that she will be taking the reins of this new, scaled-down anti-corruption unit going forward? What will Steve Arnott, who has seemingly been putting off a transfer to a different department out of loyalty to the gaffer, think of this revamp? And could Carmichael and Davidson end up facing off in a glass box interview extravaganza? We live in hope, fellas.

Line of Duty: Series 6

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All will surely be revealed on Sunday night - along with the identity of Jo Davidson’s mystery blood relative, as teased in episode four’s cliffhanger. Now we’re sucking diesel.

Line of Duty continues on BBC One on April 18 at 9pm

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