Shalom Brune-Franklin, who played DC Chloe Bishop in the sixth season of the hit BBC crime drama Line of Duty, is keeping quiet about whether she will be back for the recently confirmed seventh season. When asked directly about her possible return, the actress gave a playful yet cryptic response that has left fans guessing.
The British-Australian actress, known for her role as the AC-12 recruit in the 2021 season, was put on the spot during a recent interview. Her reaction made it clear that she was ready for the question but not willing to give a straight answer.
The Cryptic Response That Has Everyone Talking
When the topic of Line of Duty Season 7 came up, Brune-Franklin immediately knew what was coming. “I knew as soon as I saw Radio Times, I was gonna be getting a Line of Duty question!” she laughed .
Rather than confirming or denying her involvement in the new episodes, she took a different approach. The actress mimed zipping her mouth shut, signaling she was not going to spill any secrets. She then added, “I think I’m gonna start getting the shakes if you ask me about Line of Duty,” before finally saying, “I’m gonna plead the fifth” .
The phrase “plead the fifth” comes from American law, where it means refusing to answer a question that might incriminate you. In this context, Brune-Franklin used it humorously to avoid giving away any details about the upcoming season.
Her History With Line of Duty Questions
This is not the first time Brune-Franklin has been careful when talking about the show. In a previous interview, she admitted that she gets “so scared to talk about Line of Duty even though it’s finished and done” . She explained that the secrecy required while filming stays with you long after. “You have to keep the secrets for so long,” she said .
Back in 2021, when asked about the possibility of a seventh series, she was just as cautious. At that time, she said, “I don’t think I’m important enough to know the answers to those questions” . She added that she had practiced that line specifically for when people asked about the show’s future. While she admitted she would “obviously, yeah” want to return, she stressed she had “no idea” if another season would happen .
What She Has Said About Playing Chloe Bishop
Despite her hesitation to talk about future episodes, Brune-Franklin has always spoken fondly about her time on Line of Duty. She joined the cast for the sixth season as DC Chloe Bishop, the newest member of AC-12, and quickly became a fan favorite .
“I had the best time,” she said about working on the show . “I loved it. I was a huge fan of the show before signing on, so it was the most surreal experience I’ve ever had on a job because it really did feel like I was stepping into the TV” .
She also compared joining the established cast to being the new kid at school. “I was such a fan of the show before,” she explained. “It was like I’d stepped into my TV screen. Half of me was thinking, ‘OK, you’ve been hired to do a job, focus, get it done’, the other half was internally screaming at anything I saw… Adrian Dunbar’s face” .
She even joked about trying not to embarrass herself by calling Vicky McClure by her character’s name Kate by mistake .
Line of Duty Season 7 Is Officially Happening
After years of rumors and speculation, the BBC officially confirmed in November 2025 that Line of Duty will return for a seventh season . The announcement came nearly four years after the sixth season aired in 2021 .
The sixth season finale was one of the most-watched British TV events in modern history, pulling in 17 million viewers after 28 days . However, it also divided fans due to the reveal of the mysterious corrupt officer “H” .
The new season will consist of six episodes and is set to start filming in Belfast in spring 2026 . It is expected to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027 . For international viewers, the show is distributed globally by ITV Studios, though specific streaming details for countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, and India are typically announced closer to the release date. Previous seasons are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on BritBox in the US and other regions.
What We Know About the New Season
The core trio is back. Martin Compston (Steve Arnott), Vicky McClure (Kate Fleming), and Adrian Dunbar (Ted Hastings) will all reprise their roles . Compston confirmed the news on social media with a simple post: “We’re baaaaaaaaack,” along with a policeman emoji .
However, things have changed at AC-12. According to official synopses, the anti-corruption unit has been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards . The new team will be assigned “their most sensitive case so far” in what is described as an “increasingly challenging climate for anticorruption work” .
The plot will center on Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer praised for taking down organized crime groups. Gough is accused of being a sexual predator who abused his position of trust. But the official synopsis raises a bigger question: “is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?” .
Robert Carlyle Joins the Cast
While Brune-Franklin’s status remains unclear, one major new cast member has been confirmed. BAFTA-winning actor Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty, Once Upon a Time) has joined Line of Duty Season 7 as the guest lead .
Carlyle will play DC Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer and veteran marksman with the Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) . The character is described as a “gruff loner who keeps to himself” . His story takes a turn when his commanding officer, DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator .
Carlyle expressed his excitement about joining the show. “Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurio’s work for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of ‘Line of Duty,’” he said . “The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show. DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life” .
Series creator Jed Mercurio also shared his enthusiasm. “Robert always brings mesmerising power and depth to every role; I know viewers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what his character will do next, and why” . Mercurio will write the series and direct episodes four through six .
Will Chloe Bishop Be Back?
That is the million-dollar question that Brune-Franklin will not answer. Her character, DC Chloe Bishop, joined AC-12 in season six as a new recruit and played a pivotal role throughout the season . Given that the new season involves a rebranded anti-corruption unit, it would make sense for Bishop to still be part of the team.
Brune-Franklin has previously stated that she would want to return if asked . Her recent “plead the fifth” response could mean one of two things. Either she is under contract and cannot reveal anything, or she genuinely does not know and is tired of being asked.
Fans on social media and forums have been debating her possible return. Some believe her character was integrated enough into AC-12 that she should come back, while others think the new season might focus on fresh faces like Carlyle’s character .
What’s Next for Shalom Brune-Franklin
Regardless of her Line of Duty status, Brune-Franklin has been keeping busy. She starred alongside Jamie Dornan in the BBC One thriller The Tourist in 2022 . More recently, she appeared in the hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer in 2024, playing the character Keeley .
Her filmography also includes roles in Cursed, Roadkill, and Our Girl . Born in St Albans, UK, to a Mauritian mother and an English father, she moved to Australia at 14 and holds both British and Australian citizenship . She trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) .
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When Will We Find Out?
With filming for Line of Duty Season 7 scheduled to begin in spring 2026, official casting announcements are expected to trickle out over the coming months . Whether Brune-Franklin’s name appears on that list remains to be seen.
For now, fans will have to respect her right to “plead the fifth” and wait for official confirmation. The new season is slated to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027, with international release details to follow .
All six previous seasons of Line of Duty are currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. International viewers can find the series on BritBox in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other regions.
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