Thursday, 27th May 2021 at 3:42 pm Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio has hinted that restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented more intimate storylines from being included in the crime drama’s recent sixth series. Advertisement Throughout the seven-episode run, there were glimmers of a romantic connection between bent copper Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) and former AC-12 officer Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure). However, this relationship ultimately never went further than a bit of hand-holding and some longing glances, leading some viewers to accuse the show of queerbaiting – the practice of hinting at LGBTQ+ romance, but not actually depicting it.