'Line of Duty' is the UK's most watched programme of the year.
Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar
The fifth season of the hit BBC drama has continued to prove very popular with fans and the first episode of the latest series currently stands as the most watched of 2019 so far with an audience of 13.2 million viewers, according to 28-day four-screen data.
The first four episodes have pulled in a larger audience than any other show on British television this year, with an average of 10.6 million viewers in seven-day four-screen consolidated figures.
Showrunner Jed Mercurio said: "We're thrilled and flattered by the amazing response to this series of 'Line of Duty'.
"On behalf of the whole production, I want to thank our viewers for their fantastic loyalty, and World Productions and the BBC for their unstinting support."
Meanwhile, executive producer Simon Heath has heaped praise on Jed and the cast - which includes the likes of Adrian Dunbar (Superintendent Ted Hastings), Vicky McClure (DI Kate Fleming) and Martin Compston (DS Steve Arnott) - for the huge success the show has enjoyed to date.
He added: "It's testament to Jed's brilliant writing and the best cast on British TV that the audience for 'Line of Duty' has grown bigger with every series.
"A huge thanks to the BBC who took a chance on a small show in Birmingham back in 2011 and to everyone who's supported us since."
A sixth series of the show has already been confirmed by the Beeb, and boss Jed is keen for the programme to go even further
He previously said: "We're looking forward to a conversation with the BBC once series five has aired ... about whether there is an appetite from fans to have more, or whether there's a feeling the show is coming towards its natural arc.
"That conversation will be very specific, which is whether series six will be the last, or whether the BBC would be prepared to commission a seventh so we can approach series six knowing it's not the last."
The current series concludes with a feature-length finale on Sunday night (05.05.19) at 9pm.
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