‘I’m gutted for whoever did Bodyguard!’: Line Of Duty’s Jed Mercurio jokes about show’s success as it surpasses his OWN thriller to become most watched drama in 13 years with 10.9million tuning in
Jed Mercurio proved to be the mastermind behind BBC dramas as Line Of Duty broke viewing figures when the penultimate episode of the sixth series aired on Sunday night.
The producer, 55, took to Twitter to comment on a report which revealed the BBC police corruption series had surpassed his 2018 show Bodyguard to become the most watched television drama since 2008.
Poking fun of his success, he wrote: ‘I’m gutted for whoever did Bodyguard!’.
Genius: Jed Mercurio proved to be the mastermind behind BBC’s dramas as Line Of Duty broke viewing figures when the penultimate episode of the sixth series aired on Sunday night
The nail-biting sixth episode, which saw Acting Superintendent Jo Davidson brought into AC-12 for interview following PC Ryan Pilkington’s death, attracted a staggering 10.9million viewers, according to BARB overnight figures supplied by overnghts.tv.
It outstripped Jed’s previous record of BBC political thriller Bodyguard, which garnered 10.4million viewers for the season finale back in 2018.
The record ratings means Line Of Duty’s penultimate episode of series six has become the most watched drama since the 2008 Doctor Who Christmas Special, which was watched by 11.7million viewers.
Impressive: The nail-biting sixth episode attracted a staggering 10.9million viewers
Hilarious: Poking fun of his success, he wrote: ‘I’m gutted for whoever did Bodyguard!’
It also beat Downton Abbey, which saw 10.6million watch the season two finale in November 2011.
And with the final episode set to air on Sunday, Jed and the team could well and truly smash Sunday night’s figures.
During the show, viewers were left convinced that Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael is ‘H’.
The officer, played by Anna Maxwell Martin, placed herself at the centre of the action as she ordered Kate Fleming be arrested following the shootout and then tried to shut down Ted Hastings’ questions during a very intense interview of Jo Davidson.
Congrats: Line Of Duty outstripped Jed’s previous record of BBC political thriller Bodyguard, which garnered 10.4million viewers for the season finale in 2018 (pictured Richard Madden)
Period drama: It also beat Downton Abbey, which saw 10.6million watch the season two finale in November 2011
Some viewers even theorised that Carmichael was trying to send a message during the ‘puzzling’ interview.
Fans were also stunned last night when it appeared James Nesbitt’s character was killed off before he even appeared on screen – but some viewers are convinced it was a cover-up.
Towards the end of the nail-biting penultimate episode, Guardia Civil police officers stormed Marcus Thurwell’s Spanish home, while the AC-12 team watched via video link.
When the law enforcement officers entered the home, they were met by two bodies, and a Spanish captain turned to the camera and identified one as ‘Senor Thurwell’.
Trying to hide something?During Sunday’s show, viewers were left convinced that Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael is ‘H’
While many viewers expressed surprise that an actor of Nesbitt’s calibre was denied even a scene, some were left convinced that Thurwell was in fact the Spanish AFO leading the raid on his home.
The series ended with Jo Davidson being locked up in a police cell after narrowly avoiding an attack from two corrupt police officers thanks to the security cameras.
Viewers will have to watch until next week to see if Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), DI Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and DI Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) can uncover the truth about the elusive H and who was behind journalist Gail Vella’s murder.
Line Of Duty continues on BBC One on Sunday at 9pm.
What’s going on? Fans were stunned last night when it appeared James Nesbitt’s character was killed off before he even appeared on screen – but some are convinced it was a cover-up
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