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Hit BBC Two drama will return for the third series next year and could even move to BBC One after huge critical acclaim.

The police thriller ends tonight with up to four millions of viewers waiting to find out if Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton, played by Keeley Hawes, is guilty of police corruption.

Ahead of the dramatic final scenes, the Mirror can reveal bosses have already asked creator Jed Mercurio to come up with the third series.

And the BBC are expected to officially announce the new commission shortly.

A source close to the negotiations said: “A third series is definitely going ahead and we expect filming to start by the end of the year so we are looking at early 2015 for it to be on screen.

“We have been delighted with the praise the show has got from TV critics and viewers, there is no question it will be back.”

(Image: BBC)

The show has also featured brilliant acting performances from Vicky McClure and Martin Compston although it is not known which, if any of the cast will return for the third series.

The first series of Line Of Duty aired in 2012 also on BBC Two, but TV bosses at the Beeb, including drama boss Ben Stephenson, may move the third series to BBC One.

The current run is getting up to four million but some fans and critics feel it will pick up awards and could therefore command an even bigger audience next time around if it moves channels.

A source added: “The BBC Two controller role is basically vacant now so it is hard to know where Line Of Duty is going to go and that is one of the reasons the third series has not been made official.

“But the fact it has done so well means Ben has a decision to make about where the future of the series lies.”

A BBC drama spokesman declined to comment when approached about news of a third series.

* The final episode of Line Of Duty Series 2 airs tonight at 9pm on BBC Two