Acorn TV Lands New Season of Hit British Cop Drama ‘Line of Duty’ for the U.S.
By Stewart Clarke
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The eagerly-anticipated fifth season of hit British crime drama “Line of Duty” will bow on the Acorn TV streaming service in the U.S. The cop series was created by Jed Mercurio and is produced by World Productions – the same team behind the recent U.K. smash ratings hit “Bodyguard,” which is now on Netflix in the U.S. and international markets.
“” has previously premiered on Hulu in the U.S., but has snagged the rights to launch the new season. It also has the first 3 seasons of the show on its streaming platform and will add season 4 on Nov. 26. The 6-episode fifth season is currently in production in the U.K. It will bow on Acorn TV in 2019 and likely go out a day after the U.K. transmission on the BBC.
Each season of “Line of Duty” follows a new case for the team of cops in the AC-12 anti-corruption unit. Stephen Graham (“Save Me”) will appear in the upcoming run alongside series regulars Adrian Dunbar (“Ashes to Ashes”), Vicky McClure (“Broadchurch”), and Martin Compston (“The Great Train Robbery”).
“” set ratings records in the U.K. and “Line of Duty” has also been a strong performer domestically. Season 4, which starred Thandie Newton, moved from BBC Two to BBC One. It averaged an impressive 8.2 million viewers and ranked in the top five 2017 dramas in the U.K.
World Productions is owned by ITV, but “Line of Duty” is sold by Kew Media Distribution, which did the Acorn deal.
“Given Season 4’s huge success on BBC One as one of the top-rated UK programs of 2017, Acorn TV has secured a major coup in acquiring the exclusive U.S. premiere of season 5 from our friends at Kew Media Distribution,” said Don Klees, VP, programming, for Acorn at its parent group RLJ Entertainment.
Simon Heath, CEO and creative director of World Productions, added: “We’re delighted that Acorn TV will be the new home of ‘Line of Duty’ in the States, and pleased that season 5 will transmit concurrently with the BBC.”
