Line of Duty series 6: Kate Fleming and Ryan Pilkington shootout ends in major death

*Warning: This article contains huge spoilers for Line of Duty series 6 episode 6. 

After a week of speculating if Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) or Ryan Pilkington (Gregory Piper) was killed in the shootout, tonight’s episode gave us the answer. 

Kate expertly planted to bullets in the top of Ryan’s chest, confirming a popular theory that the answer was revealed in series three, killing the youngest member of the OCG (Organised Crime Group) who was discovered by Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), Patricia Carmichael (Anna Maxwell Martin) and Chloë Bishop (Shalom Brune Franklin). 

Kate and Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald), however, had legged it and subsequently put themselves in the firing line for Ryan’s murder. 

After Vicky McClure was missing from the cast sheet for episode six, many fans panicked the absence spelt the end of Kate.

Thankfully, the trailer for series 6 which was released before the current season began, clearly showed a scene with Kate and Jo holding their hands up which hadn’t been aired before the shooutout, subsequently confirming both officers were alive.

Vicky was also frustratingly coy when discussing the aftermath of Ryan and Kate’s clash, fuelling further speculation she’d been written out of the series entirely. 

As for Gregory Piper, who starred as Ryan since he was just 13, he’s been hotly tipped to join Strictly Come Dancing.

The actor made his first appearance s Ryan in series one, with the youngster terrorising bystanders on his BMX before moving up the ranks of the OCG eventually murdering John Corbett and Maneet Bindra in series five. 

Ryan was made an officer in series five and used his position to keep an eye on Jo Davidson and disrupt the investigation into Gail Vella’s death.

Line of Duty series 6 concludes Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.

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