First-look images of actress Kelly Macdonald in her upcoming role in Line of Duty have been released as filming on the series came to an end.

The sixth series of Jed Mercurio’s hit show finished filming in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the week, the BBC said.

Kelly Macdonald has been filing in Northern Ireland (World Productions/Steffan Hill)

Macdonald is the next guest series lead and will play DCI Joanne Davidson, described as a “senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case whose unconventional conduct attracts the attention of AC-12”.

Showrunner Mercurio said: “Thanks so much to our brilliant cast and crew who applied rigorous Covid safety measures to deliver Line of Duty six to our wonderful fans.

“We’re all immensely grateful to World Productions and the BBC for the unswerving support they’ve given us in a time of unprecedented challenges to UK television production.”

Filming was halted earlier this year amid the coronavirus pandemic but resumed at the end of August, the BBC said.

Simon Heath, executive producer for World Productions, said: “Huge praise has to go to Jed, Kelly, Vicky, Martin, Adrian and the brilliant Line of Duty cast and crew who completed filming on series six yesterday, after five months of lockdown and three more of shooting under the most trying of circumstances.

“The audience is in for a treat next year.”

Line of Duty will air on BBC One in 2021.