Line Of Duty’s Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar don face masks on Zoom call

Filming for the police drama’s hotly anticipated sixth series was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And Line Of Duty stars Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar donned face masks as they caught up with creator Jed Mercurio on a Zoom call on Monday.

Vicky, 37, who plays DI Kate Fleming, opted for a black face mask as she gave the thumbs up to the camera, while Steve Arnott actor Martin, 36, wore a multicoloured version as he chatted from his Las Vegas home.

Adrian, 61, who plays Superintendent Ted Hastings, donned a blue spotted face mask, while Jed, 53, wore a black mask as he spoke with the actors.

Delighting fans with a dash of humour, Martin wrote: ‘Lovely line of duty zoom catch up with @jed_mercurio @Vicky_McClure and #Adriandunbar. 

‘Bottom two video squares had Adrian at a desk in a shirt and blazer on one side, Vicky lying on her couch in a dressing gown in the other. Says it all really.’

Jed also made a classic show in-joke, as he urged others to wear face masks and protect the vulnerable and NHS amid the crisis.  

He wrote: ‘If AC-12 caught someone wearing a mask, chances are they’d be part of an Organised Crime Group. 

‘Now OCG stands for #ObserveCoViDGuidelines. #LineofDuty says #WearAMask to prevent people around you catching the Coronavirus, helping to shield the vulnerable and protect the NHS.’        

Last month Line Of Duty creator and writer Jed teased further news about the sixth series of the show, which was grounded to a halt mid-production due to COVID-19.

Speaking to A Stab In The Dark podcast, the show boss explained that they were four weeks into filming and that the months of delays has pushed the air date back from the intended 2020 to next year. 

‘We shot for four weeks before we were forced to reach the conclusion that it wasn’t safe to carry on. We shut down nine days before the government lockdown,’ he explained. ‘We’re having talks currently with the BBC and the production company to determine when we might be able to resume.  

‘There are a number of issues still to be resolved on an industry-wide basis, things like insurance and finance and social distancing guidelines that specifically apply to filming.

‘So, there are people working on those, some involve the unions, some involve the producers bodies, some involve the broadcasters, some involve the department of culture, media and sport.  

‘Eventually, there will be a set of guidelines that apply to so-called high end TV. We are hoping that we can get the series shot before the end of this calendar year, if all those measures are reached which allow us to film in the way that we need to be able to do.’

The showrunner spoke about his worries about the global pandemic, and what returning to production too early could do with regards to the virus.  

‘The thing that’s out of our control is what’s happening with coronavirus in the community,’ Jed explained. ‘If the disease is still rampant, there’s absolutely no way that we have the money or resources to quarantine hundreds of people for the duration of the shoot.

‘So, there is the risk that we import the virus through natural contact between crew members going back into their households at the end of the day or any contact with extras who are on set for a day, or supporting artists who are in for a few days.

‘It’s really hard to know and like any industry, we’re kind of hostages to fortune.’

Last month, star of the show Martin Compston shared some throwback snaps, as he revealed they should have completed shooting season six by now.  

Earlier this month, Vicky said that she has still had ‘no word’ on when season six of Line Of Duty will be able to resume filming.

Speaking via FaceTime on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, she said the cast had begun work on the forthcoming season of the police drama prior to the UK’s lockdown during the coronavirus crisis.

Of how far along they were in their shooting schedule, Vicky said: ‘We were about four weeks of a sixteen week shoot and you know when you’re just getting into the groove and you’re like “yeah”, and then, that was it.’   

Chris then asked her when filming may resume, and she went on: ‘There is no word, I don’t know. 

‘You know, I’m hearing lots about certain productions – obviously the soaps are being quite vocal about… they’re going back I think next week – so you know, there’s movement. 

‘But the thing is Jed Mercurio – who writes, produces and is our showrunner – he was a doctor before he was a writer, so he’s not going to cut any corners, do you know what I mean? 

‘We’re going to make sure that when we go back, it’s safe to do so, so when that day is, I don’t know.’