Adrian Dunbar keeps getting stopped by real-life police who love cop drama 'Line Of Duty'.

Adrian Dunbar as Ted Hastings

Adrian Dunbar as Ted Hastings

The 60-year-old actor - who can again be seen as Superintendent Ted Hastings when the hit show returns to BBC One at the end of this month - says coppers keep pulling him over to tell him they are big fans of the series.

Adrian was quoted by The Daily Star newspaper as saying: "I was on Highgate West Hill the other day and the police came down the hill on blues and twos.

"They saw me, screeched to a stop, rolled down the window and went: 'Waahhh-heeyyy'."

Adrian stars alongside Martin Compston and Vicky McClure in the fifth series of the popular police drama which returns to screens on Sunday, March 31.

The television actor previously revealed he and and his co-stars have no idea when they sign up for a new series whether they will make it through the final episode.

He said: "People often think we must know in advance - from Jed or our agents - how many episodes we've been booked for in the next series. But you don't really know."

And even if the stars make it through the first few episodes, they only get more worried as it could mean the scene is being set for an explosive exit.

Referring to Jason Watkins, whose character, Forensic Coordinator Tim Ifield, was killed off after the first episode of season four, Adrian said: "You open the first script not knowing if it's going to be 'Jason Watkins Time'!

"And, I'll tell you, the more you have to do in early episodes, the more fearful you are that it's building up to you going out with a bang."