Vicky McClure on THAT Line of Duty cliffhanger: "Jed is always there to serve the story"

After receiving orders from an unknown OCG bigwig, corrupt cop Jo Davidson (Kelly MacDonald) lured fan-favourite character Kate (Vicky McClure) to a remote car park, where hardened criminal Ryan (Gregory Piper) was primed to assassinate her.

But Kate had a concealed weapon of her own, and the episode concluded with a tense stand-off between the two followed by gunshots as the screen faded to black. Has Kate finally bitten off more than she could chew? Or did Ryan get his comeuppance at last?

For now, Kate's fate remains a mystery – but star Vicky McClure has now shed some light on the ending, and what it could mean for everyone's favourite UCO.

Chatting with former star Craig Parkinson on the latest episode of the Obsessed With… Line of Duty podcast, Fleming revealed that everything Mercurio writes "is always there to serve the story."

"I’ve been saying week in and week out that I’ve been so worried about certain characters – that we have grown to love over the years – and I’m terrified that one of the main trio is going to go," Parkinson said.

"I have put my chips on poor old Steve, up until this week… And as we know as actors, nobody is safe. When you started reading the script, how did you feel, how did Vicky feel when you were turning the page?”

McClure responded, “Well listen, every episode of Line of Duty history is terrifying and Jed (Mercurio) is always there to serve the story – it is exactly what happened with Dot.

"Dot’s time came when it was right to serve the story and that is what Jed will always do. I don’t want to put everything out there but Jed serves the story…”

While these comments don't exactly confirm anything about Kate's fate, fans probably won't be altogether reassured by the remarks – especially given the comparison with Dot, who was killed off at the end of series three.

Unfortunately, we'll just have to wait until next week to see what happened, as Adrian Dunbar teases a "very big clue" has already been dropped regarding what lies ahead. Moreover, hints at a "tragic event" and a few missing actors from the cast list do have us worried...

Line of Duty continues on Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and Obsessed With… Line of Duty is available now on BBC Sounds. Take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage, or check out what else is on with our TV Guide.