Mother. Of. God.
Before it aired, episode four of series 6 was hyped as the best Line of Duty episode since it first hit our screens in 2012. Martin Compston said “if we deliver it has the potential to be a classic.” And boy did they deliver. A shootout with the OCG, Steve pulling off a shot most Call of Duty addicts would be proud of, a murder in prison, Ryan putting a gun to Jo’s head, and a big fucking cliffhanger at the end.
Focusing on the very end of the episode, which had thousands of of viewers rewinding their telly to see who the photograph on the piece of paper was (it’s Jo Davidson, as if they would leave the big reveal their in the age of pausing TV), all the discussion in the aftermath surrounds who this mystery relative of Jo Davidson’s could be.
By the looks of social media, viewers are going full Charlie Kelly, mapping out every plotline from series 1 to work out who it might be, and while Jed Mercurio will probably catch us all by surprise, there seems to be a broad consensus that it is John Corbett.
Corbett was deep undercover with the OCG in series 5, before he had his throat slit by Ryan Pilkington. Steve Arnott and Ted Hastings both still have (very different) relations with Corbett’s widow, Steph, which will only complicate this already complex plot even further.
The main piece of evidence pointing towards John Corbett relates back to a previous episode in this series. After Jo’s row with Farida, during which she told her she didn’t have a family, she later throws a glass at a photograph in her bedroom. Freeze frames of this scene show the photo to contain a younger Jo Davidson with what appears to be her mother, as seen here.
Many viewers have pointed out that this could be Anne-Marie McGillis, Corbett’s biological mother who went missing in 1989.
McGillis was also a key informant for Hastings during his time in Northern Ireland.
The photos alone are a strong case for Corbett being Jo’s brother, and fans appear convinced.
JOHN CORBETT AND JOE DAVIDSON HAVE THE SAME MOTHER IM SURE OF IT!!! #LineOfDuty pic.twitter.com/hhFOXQsR3k
— Hannah (@heyitshann) April 11, 2021
My take. Jo Davidson is sister to John Corbett (same mom). Meaning Hastings could turn out to be their dad due to link to the mom back in Ireland….. #LineOfDuty pic.twitter.com/wMsnqIe1U9
— Jack Robbo (@JWRobbo) April 11, 2021
Jo is blood relatives with John Corbett – calling it now #LineOfDuty pic.twitter.com/PFgp8bG05d
— Joshua Tindall (@JoshuaTindall) April 11, 2021
We’re all in agreement that she’s related to Corbett right? #LineOfDuty pic.twitter.com/chRgOjmNAI
— Lesley Anne (@lesleyanne_d) April 11, 2021
