Endeavour: Shaun Evans to return for a new series - but will Roger Allam be back?
DI Fred Thursday took a bullet at the end of the last series, leaving his future hanging in the balance
ITV has commissioned a new series of Endeavour, the Inspector Morse prequel starring Shaun Evans. But with the Detective Constable's boss DI Fred Thursday having been shot at the end of the previous series, a question mark hangs over whether co-star Roger Allam will return.
The end of series two, which aired in April 2014, saw Endeavour framed for a murder he didn't commit and Thursday take a bullet to the chest. ITV are remaining tight-lipped on the outcome to the cliffhanger, promising only that "all the pieces are up in the air and where they will land is anybody’s guess".
Speaking today, series star Evans said: “I'm really excited to be revisiting the '60s as young Morse. The audience reaction to Endeavour has been fantastic and this series promises to be the best we've made so far. It'll be well worth the wait!”
Writer Russell Lewis added: “Endeavour '67... Pepper – Piper – Purple Haze... As 'Oxford's finest' encounter friends and foes both old and new, our next quartet of mysteries will take the audience on a psychedelic Summer of Love fairground ride, filled with twists and turns, shrieks and scares. For something wicked this way comes...”
Endeavour began life as a one-off pilot in 2012 that was made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Morse. Shaun Evans won over critics and viewers alike with his portrayal of young Morse and, consequently, the film became the highest performing new drama title to air on ITV that year.
The second series was shown in March 2014 with a peak audience of 7m and a 27 per cent share, making it one of the best performing returning drama series on ITV so far this year.
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