Endeavour renewed by ITV

Successful detective drama Endeavour, the prequel to Inspector Morse, will return to ITV for a fourth series following the strong audience reaction to series three, it has been announced today.  Set in 1967, the new films will go into production in late Spring 2016.

The Endeavour series stars Shaun Evans (War Book, The Scandalous Lady W) who has won the hearts and minds of critics and viewers alike with his portrayal of the young Morse.  Scripts will once again be written by Russell Lewis, who also wrote for Inspector Morse and created Endeavour.

Acclaimed stage and screen actor Roger Allam (The Lady in the Van, Mr Holmes, Parade's End) will return as Endeavour’s senior officer, Detective Inspector Fred Thursday. Endeavour and Thursday have forged an unmissable partnership since they came together on screen in January 2012 in a one off single film to mark the 25th anniversary of Inspector Morse. 

The most recent films, which began airing on ITV this January, delivered a consolidated average rating of 6.3 million viewers and a 22% share of the audience. Endeavour III’s most watched episode - Arcadia - which featured the debut of new recruit WPC Shirley Trewlove played by Dakota Blue Richards - had a consolidated rating of 6.7m and a 23% share of the audience against strong competition on BBC1. In fact the episode, which aired on 10 January 2016, had the best ABC1 audience figures for any returning ITV drama series in a year behind only Downton Abbey.

Mammoth Screen will produce the new set of films, which begin filming on location in Oxford during the late Spring of 2016. The series will be executive produced by Damien Timmer, MD of Mammoth Screen, one of the UK’s leading independent production companies and an ITV Studios owned company. Writer and creator Russell Lewis will also executive produce, alongside former Endeavour producer Tom Mullens and Rebecca Eaton for WGBH.

“#TeamEndeavour looks forward to welcoming you back to Cowley Police Station early next year – when we reopen the 1960s casebook of Detective Constable Endeavour Morse and unravel a set of brand new murder mysteries” said Russell Lewis.  

“It’s a privilege to revisit Oxford in 1967 to savour Russell Lewis’ impeccably crafted and multi-layered scripts and enjoy the dream team partnership of Shaun Evans and Roger Allam as DC Morse and DI Thursday. The series is enjoyed by fans the world over and this next chapter of the Endeavour Morse story will keep viewers everywhere on the edge of their seats!” said Damien Timmer.

Colin Dexter, whose first Morse story was published in 1975, continues his association with the drama, acting as a consultant to Endeavour producers.

 Endeavour IV has been commissioned by ITV’s Director of Drama Steve November and Controller of Drama Victoria Fea.

“We’re delighted with the audiences reaction to Endeavour and it was an easy decision to recommission due to the quality of the scripts from Russell Lewis and the excellent production values from Damien and his production team,” said Steve.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment will distribute Endeavour internationally.