Will There Be a 'Ridley' Season 3? Dunbar May Have Other Plans

ITV announced it was commissioning Ridley in June 2021, less than a month after Line of Duty's sixth season concluded. At the time, most viewers assumed Line of Duty Season 7 would still be along in a year or so and didn't think twice about it. However, that announcement turned out to be a bellwether, as Line of Duty's other leads, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston, also moved on to lead new shows. (Trigger Point for her, The Rig for him.) With Ridley's first season hitting PBS in 2023 and now a Season 2 in 2024 (not to mention the second seasons of Trigger Point and The Rig), it seemed like everyone was moving on. However, it is now an open question if that will continue, as Ridley Season 2 concludes just as rumors of the long-awaited Line of Duty Season 7 re-emerge.

Thus far, there's been no word on Ridley Season 3, but that's not as odd as it might seem. As we reach the middle of the decade, there's been a recent radical shift in shows co-produced by ITV. Several now air in the States before they're released in the U.K., a stunning reversal from how things have worked since the invention of television. For example, D.I. Ray, Grantchester, and Van der Valk aired in the States first in 2024, with the latter two still without U.K. premiere dates. Ridley Season 2 is in the same boat, with no set release date for Season 2 in the U.K.

However, with the rumor Line of Duty may return, things may be more complicated than just "waiting until the show is confirmed to have an airdate in the U.K."

Of the three leads involved in bringing back Line of Duty, two currently star in shows not produced by LoD creator Jed Mercurio: Compston and Dunbar. Neither has had their new series re-upped for a third season yet, though, in fairness, The Rig Season 2 isn't due to hit streaming services until January 2025. Trigger Point has been announced for Season 3 with Vicky McClure, but that show is one of Mercurio's, which was dreamed up with her in mind as the lead. If Line of Duty were to return for another season, it's almost certain McClure could adjust her schedule to do both.

Should Ridley fans be concerned that this might signal Dunbar not returning to the series named after his character? Probably not; one of the good things about British TV is that renewal commissions for series can sometimes be held for years until the timing is right, or schedules align in such a manner for a series to return. (Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax are both recent examples of mothballed shows triumphantly brought back this decade.) If Ridley has to sit on the shelf for a year while Dunbar returns to AC-12, it's a good bet ITV will have scripts ready to go into production for Season 3 once he's done in Birmingham.

Meanwhile, we at Telly Visions have reached out to see if there's any confirmation for the possible return of Line of Duty for another season, and will update if we hear back.

Ridley Seasons 1 and 2 can be streamed in full on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel and on PBS Passport for members. As always, check your local listings and streamers.