Shaun Evans returning in six feature-length episodes

ITV has recommissioned Inspector Morse prequel, Endeavour for a fifth series with an extended run of six films.

Produced by Mammoth Screen, the drama will once again star Shaun Evans (The Scandalous Lady W) in the title role of the young Endeavour Morse, alongside acclaimed stage and screen actor Roger Allam (The Missing) as Endeavour’s senior officer, Detective Inspector Fred Thursday.

Series 4 aired in January 2017 to its biggest audience since it’s launch in 2014, with consolidated ratings of 6.8m viewers for episode 1.

Also returning for the fifth series as series regulars is, Dakota Blue Richards (Skins) as WPC Shirley Trewlove, Anton Lesser (Game Of Thrones) as Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright and Abigail Thaw (I Want My Wife Back) as Dorothea Frazil.

The detective drama is written and executive produced by creator Russell Lewis alongside Damien Timmer, Tom Mullens and Rebecca Eaton.
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Russell Lewis said: “The prospect of creating further chapters in Morse’s secret history is always exciting, but expanding our quartet of investigations to a sextet gives us the opportunity to deliver a truly epic year in the life of Colin Dexter’s immortal creation.”

Executive producer, Tom Mullens added, “We’re delighted that Endeavour will return next year with another set of striking stories from Russell Lewis and once again it’s an honour to have Shaun Evans and Roger Allam on board, bringing Morse and Thursday exquisitely to life in the ‘revolutionary’ world of 1968.”

Endeavour series 5 will be filmed in Oxford in the Spring for transmission on ITV in 2018.