Line Of Duty series 6: Is Chloe Bishop related to Tony Gates from series 1? New ‘bent copper’ theory explained

Line Of Duty’s Chloe Bishop has been pretty much carrying the AC-12 investigation on her back over the last few episodes – but is there more to her than meets the eye?

After all, in Jed Mercurio’s world, it’s wise not to trust anyone – and a growing theory suggests she could be connected to someone all the way back in series one.

Yup – we’re talking another secret family connection, just like Jo Davidson’s connection to gangster Tommy Hunter.

So why is everyone suddenly on board with this new theory?

Here’s everything you know…

Who is Tony Gates?

Anthony ‘Tony’ Gates, was a Detective Chief Inspector at the Central Police, and was AC-12’s first central investigation all the way back in series one.

Running the tactical operations division, Tony was a highly praised officer – in fact he was so good, it looked suspicious, and Hastings opens an investigation on him always seeming to be ‘at the right place at the right time’.

Turns out he was far from perfect – he was having an affair with Jackie Laverty, who is connected to the OCG and is eventually murdered when a gang invades one of their illicit nights together.

Threatening to frame him for the death, Tony eventually becomes more tied in with the OCG and in particular leader Tommy Hunter.

Knowing he was being set up and being tracked, Tony eventually managed to get AC-12 to Tommy Hunter, before throwing himself in front of a truck to prevent the fallout of his affair and career almost guaranteed to fall apart.

In his last words to Steve Arnott, he insisted he wasn’t a bent copper.

Steve lied about Tony’s death, so it was ruled he ‘was killed in the line of duty’, allowing his family would receive a payout after he was gone.

How could Gates be connected to Chloe Bishop?

Tony was survived by his wife Jools, and two daughters – Chloe and Natalie.

It’s not been confirmed that the two Chloes are one and the same, but at the time of his death, Chloe was just finishing school.

If she is Tony’s daughter, then it definitely adds extra stakes to what she’s doing in the hunt to uncover who’s in the OCG.

She could either a) be one of them, becoming a mole on behalf of the OCG in order to exact her revenge on AC-12 in the name of her father, who died on their watch.

OR b) she could be so dedicated to the job at AC-12 as she wants to finish what her father started – continuing his legacy in the search for bent coppers, dismantling the OCG and solving crime.

Hopefully we’ll find out soon enough.

Line Of Duty airs Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.

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