Line of Duty odds: Fans predict identity of Fourth Man ahead of H reveal in final episode

Jed Mercurio’s crime drama is drawing to a close on Sunday

The final predictions for the identity of “the fourth man” in Line of Duty have taken shape ahead of the finale.

Jed Mercurio’s crime drama is drawing to a close on Sunday (2 May), with the name of the corrupt copper spearheading the syndicate known as H set to be revealed.

Since the H revelation first landed at the end of series three, viewers have been attempting to work out which characters they can trust.

The only members known to date are DI Matthew Cottan (Craig Parkinson), ACC Derek Hilton (Paul Higgins) and Senior Legal Counsel Gill Biggeloe (Polly Walker).

Throughout the most recent series, Mercurio has thrown clues and herrings at the audience in the form of hidden Easter eggs and background details.

The leading trio, DI Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), DI Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), have all been bandied around by fans as potential suspects.

However, going by an analysis from True Crime Mania, global search has suggested that none of these three are now in the top five most prominent predictions.

Following the most recent episode, they dropped out in favour of DS Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald), Detective Superintendent Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle) and the mysterious – and presumed dead – former Detective Chief Inspector Marcus Thurwell (James Nesbitt).

Could the presumed dead Marcus Thurwell be ‘the fourth man’? (BBC)

However, sitting high at the top of the list of suspects are Detective Chief Superintendent (and new head of AC-12) Patricia Carmichael (Anna Maxwell Martin) and the Chief Constable of Central Police himself, Philip Osborne (Owen Teale).

Fans only have a few days to find out – Line of Duty concludes its sixth series at 9pm on BBC One.