Line of Duty: A first look at the new series

WHEN writer Jed Mercurio's latest hit BBC drama Bodyguard was launched last year, trailers billed it as being 'from the makers of Line of Duty'.

But after its runaway success, the new series for Line of Duty is being billed in trailers as 'from the makers of Bodyguard'.

Now in its fifth series, Belfast-filmed Line of Duty returns hoping to reclaim its crown in the crime thriller stakes.

Despite its success (it began on BBC Two before being moved to BBC One), Line of Duty has recurringly been overshadowed among the TV hits filmed in Belfast.

It initially fell under the radar here due to the success of The Fall starring Jamie Dornan, while Game of Thrones continues to hog the limelight as the premier television success hailing from Northern Ireland.

But each series for Line of Duty, centring on the work of police anti-corruption unit AC12, has gained fans as a sharply edited thrill-ride full of shocks and twists.

Away from the action scenes and plot surprises, the excellent use of the police interview room is where the show delivers its most exciting scenes and the drama excels.

Judging by the latest episode and without giving away any spoilers, season five looks set to thrill long-time fans when it begins on Sunday.

And although more technical in its policing language and complex in plot than Bodyguard, the show is bound to enthral a new audience freshly enticed by the Bodyguard billing.