Line Of Duty’s sixth series reaches its conclusion as H is FINALLY unmasked

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Line of Duty fans across the nation were left underwhelmed as the nail-biting series finale drew to a close tonight and the mysterious antagonist ‘H’ was finally unmasked. 

Seasoned fans took to social media in their droves to share their frustrations as officers of the police anti-corruption unit AC-12 discovered that the identity of the elusive ‘fourth man’, who had been colluding with the organised crime group (OCG), was none other than DSU Ian Buckells. 

The series also saw DI Steve Arnott, played by actor Martin Compston, finally called in for a meeting with Occupational Health, who noted that while he had not broken the law through his excessive painkiller use, he would have to surrender his firearms licence.

However, the episode’s end failed to offer any resolution on whether the fan-favourite team of DI Steve Arnott, DI Kate Fleming and Superintendent Ted Hastings would return, ending on the revelation that the team has ‘never been weaker.’ 

Sharing their disappointment on the ending, one disgruntled Line of Duty fan wrote on Twitter: ‘Can’t believe I watched six seasons of line of Duty for Ian Buckells, the most pointless character to be the fourth man. Fuming.’

While another viewer added: ‘I’m fuming, can’t believe I waited this long for Ian Buckells to run the roost.’  

While another wrote: ‘We waited 10 years for Ian Buckells to be revealed as the OCG mastermind.’

Another commented: ‘Everyone in the UK when we waited all this time for Ian Buckells to be revealed as the OCG mastermind.

Meanwhile another fan said: ‘I would have accepted Hastings as H over Ian bloody Buckells #LineOfDuty #LineofDutyFinale.’

Elsewhere another viewer added: ‘I once got the entire UK invested in a TV show only to end it with bumbling Ian Buckells being H #LineofDutyFinale #LineOfDuty.’

And another wrote: ‘Well I hate to say it but that’s a disappointing ending. I refuse to believe it was all down to Ian Buckells of all people.’

One frustrated fan added: ‘In whose universe is Ian Buckells any kind of mastermind of anything? I’m dazed and completely confused.’

During the episode tonight, fans watched in anticipation as DI Arnott was left torn on whether to pursue fears that his boss Ted Hastings could be H as the team raced to uncover the mystery figure’s identity. 

The officer also admitted to his friend detective Kate Fleming that he had been involved with John Corbett’s widow Steph.

The mystery surrounding the identity of ‘H’ has been up for speculation since the show was first released in 2012 and detectives at the anti-corruption unit discovered there were four officers working within the force who had links to the underground criminal network.

As the team from AC-12 tried to unravel the mystery surrounding journalist Gail Vella’s death, they found a strong box hidden under the floor of the OCG’s workshop.

The box was revealed to contain an array of weapons used in murders investigated by Hastings and his team, including the gun that shot and killed Vella, and the knife that slit the throat of DS John Corbett, who was killed by the OCG in series five. 

It was the breakthrough that the team had been waiting for, as the box finally proved that Carl Banks, the violent criminal who also goes by the name ‘Ross Turner’, was responsible for Vella’s murder before being killed by the OCG himself. 

After weeks of incessant emails, DI Arnott was finally called in for a meeting with Occupational Health, who noted that while he had not broken the law through his excessive painkiller use, he should take time off from his duties.

It came after the detective was seen ignoring the reminders dropping in his inbox to book an appointment for a routine drugs test.

The officer, who became addicted to painkillers after he was pushed down a flight of stairs during a police operation in series four, refused to step down from his duties but did agree to hand over his fire-arm.

He also came clean to his boss Ted Hastings about his drug use and to his, and the viewers’ surprise, Hastings did not dismiss him, simply saying: ‘I’m glad you’re getting some help.’

Despite fans’ theories that James Nesbitt’s character Marcus Thurwell had to be alive, it was revealed that he was killed in the previous episode, and had actually been dead for several weeks when his body was found after being strangled.   

It came after the penultimate episode showed the Guardia Civil police officers storm his Spanish home and find two bodies on the bed.

DC Chloe Bishop, also revealed that any communication involving Thurwell and the OCG had been re-routed through Spain from a device in the UK, meaning the fourth man was definitely still amongst the corruption team.

After being imprisoned for her own corrupt behaviour, Davidson was taken away in a police van under the ruse she’s being interviewed at Hillside Lane, but in reality it’s the same criminal who strangled Lakewell several weeks earlier.

It was made clear that H was involved in the attempt to kill Davidson, as the order for her transfer boasts the same ‘definately’ misspelling, as well as the forced signatures of Fleming and DS Chris Lomax.

Luckily AC-12 retraced the van in time to rescue Davidson, and vowed to get her into witness protection if she came clean on H’s identity.

Jo was clearly reluctant to give up the man in charge of the Order who kept her hostage for so many years, and so AC-12 opted to return their investigation to former Chief Superintendent Patrick Fairbank but found nothing in his cell.

Once again Fairbank claimed he ‘doesn’t remember’ anything related to Davidson or the OCG, with a clearly-frustrated Hastings storming out of the interview.

Proving to be the clue that will crack open this decade-long mystery, Bishop spotted the same ‘definately’ spelling inside a written note found in the records related to Lawrence Christopher’s murder.

The case was being investigated by Vella before she was murdered, having learned that the botched work corrupt police officers meant no one was ever charged with the racially-charged crime. 

As AC-12 debated whether to go public with the information, Hastings finally confessed to Kate and Steve about the mystery bag of money he gave to John Corbett’s widow Steph, admitting he gave her the cash as a kind-hearted gesture.

He also fiercely denied revealing Corbett’s identity as an Undercover Officer to the OCG, which eventually lead to his death. 

Regardless, the written note finally set the stage for the most important police interview in the show’s history, with the stage set at last for Hastings to confront the criminal H who had caused so much havoc in AC-12. 

The so-called Fourth Man was then revealed to be Buckells, despite perceptions hinting he was easily-manipulated and thus the perfect target for Davidson as she did the OCG’s dirty work.

It seemed the copper was far smarter than first thought, as he’d been exchanging messages with Davidson about his criminal behaviour.

Despite his bumbling exterior, it all seemed to be a ruse, as he declared: ‘I’m only the one whose made total mugs out of you lot!’ by revealing they’d have to offer him immunity or Witness Protection if they wanted him to co-operate.

Pointing out that H doesn’t officially exist as the investigation into corruption had been quashed, he insisted Tommy Hunter was still the leader of the OCG and since his death the system had simply scattered.

Despite this, it was clear Fleming and Arnott wanted to keep looking into the investigation, and open an enquiry to finally getting a conviction for Christopher’s murder, but Carmichael was less convinced. 

The episode concluded on an uncertain note, with Hastings coming clean about revealing Corbetts status as an UCO after vowing to appeal his forced retirement, before leaving with the AC-12 team, and on-screen text noting that their powers to curb wrongdoing in the force had never been weaker.

Davidson entered Witness Protection, while it appeared that if Buckells gained immunity, none of the evidence for corruption would be heard in court, meaning the entire investigation would have been for nothing.

Mere hours before the episode was due to air, both stars Vicky and Martin paid tribute to the show’s fans and their co-stars on social media, though neither post appeared to dispel fans’ concerns that series six could be the last. 

Given the show’s record-breaking viewership, fans hoped that the finale would answer all their burning questions, including whether DCI Thurwell could still be alive after his body was supposedly found in last week’s episode and whether DCS Carmichael is the elusive fourth man.

Another mystery that has stemmed from series six was the £50,000 that Steve discovered in John Corbett’s wife Steph’s house, after being given the vast amount by Hastings himself.

Confronting Steph about her husband’s ‘life insurance,’ she insisted the money had been invested in a hairdressers, leaving many fans wondering whether she could be involved in an OCG after her husband worked undercover for a crime group in series five. 

Having seen its ratings increase throughou its eight-year run, series six kicked off with a record-breaking 15 million viewers tune in for its opening episode in March, and since averaged between 12 and 13 million viewers.

The preview episode of the finale was shrouded in secrecy by the BBC, with TV insiders and journalists given a plethora of passwords to access the show. 

A source said: ‘Staff were under strict instructions to keep character and plot revelations under strict lock and key.

‘Friends and families of the key actors also kept schtum on letting slip on any show details.’

Ahead of the sixth series finale, feared by many to be the show’s last hurrah, fans got a glimpse of the episode through an action-packed trailer, complete with a police standoff, the return of balaclava men and the discovery of a written note with THAT ‘definately’ misspelling. 

However, despite the huge success of the BBC show, Martin Compston revealed the BBC drama could be coming to an end sooner than everyone thinks.  

Martin – who previously revealed that executive decisions about the series are ‘above his pay grade’ – cast doubt on the show’s future during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show. 

Speaking on Saturday’s show, Martin, 36, said: ‘We won’t come back just for the sake of it. That’s for sure. We’ll come back if there’s a story to tell. 

‘If it ends well maybe sometimes it is best to leave it. But genuinely we don’t know.’

The admission comes after Martin teased that fans will get some ‘big answers’ during the finale, and admitted he believes it could be the ‘perfect ending’ to the police drama.

Speaking on the Shrine Of Duty podcast, Martin confessed that he thinks Sunday’s episode could be the best way to wrap up the ‘story arch’ – but he refused to rule out another series.

When quizzed on whether viewers will learn who the illusive ‘H’ is, Martin said: ‘I wouldn’t quite go the Jo Davidson no comment route – but what I will tell you is I think there’s a lot of pay offs coming this Sunday.

‘There’s a lot of big answers and it’s deserved, people have stuck with us for a long time, so there comes a point where the story arch comes to an end.’ 

Like many shows, series six was hit by several delays due to the Covid pandemic, with filming in Belfast halted back in March 2020, just days before the UK was plunged into lockdown.

Production was finally able to resume in September that year with strict safety guidelines, including the use of studio sets as opposed to real locations, regular testing measures.

Filming for series six finally wrapped in November, with bosses later confirming it would be seven episodes as opposed to the usual six.