Filming has started on the next season of ITV’s Inspector Morse prequel series Endeavour in and around Oxford and the South East.

The popular detective drama will return in 2018 with an extended run of six new feature-length films. Previous seasons have comprised four stories.

Shaun Evans will be back as the recently promoted Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse, alongside Roger Allam (The Missing) as Detective Chief Inspector Fred Thursday, Anton Lesser (Game Of Thrones) as Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright, Dakota Blue Richards (Skins) as WPC Shirley Trewlove, Sean Rigby (Isabella) as Sergeant Jim Strange, James Bradshaw (Primeval) as Dr. Max DeBryn, Caroline O’Neil (Last Tango In Halifax) as Win Thursday and Abigail Thaw (I Want My Wife Back) as Dorothea Frazil.

Season 5 will introduce Poldark actor Lewis Peek as new recruit Detective Constable George Fancy, whom Morse has to reluctantly mentor.

Series creator Russell Lewis will again write all the episodes.

Lewis commented: “As production begins on Endeavour ’68, many of the global tensions of that most turbulent year have found their way into our six new mysteries. ’67’s Summer of Love seems already a distant memory. Dark clouds are gathering at home and abroad as, after almost 100 years, the long history of Oxford City Police comes to an end. A terrible storm is set to blow through the professional and personal lives of newly promoted Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse and Oxford’s Finest, leaving devastation in its wake.”

The official synopsis reads: “…the new series begins with Morse having finally passed his Sergeant’s exams, as Oxford City Police merges into Thames Valley Constabulary. Joan Thursday (Sara Vickers) has returned to Oxford, but much is unresolved following her disappearance the previous year and Endeavour’s unexpected proposal.”

Producer Tom Mullens teased: “We’re delighted that Endeavour will return next year with an extended run of films. It gives Russell Lewis an even bigger canvas to work with, and he has some striking stories to tell about 1968, a time of revolution in the wider world, and in the personal life of Endeavour Morse. It’s an honour to have Shaun Evans, Roger Allam and the rest of the team back on board for this new run.”

Season 4’s first episode pulled in a consolidated rating of 6.8m and 24% share earlier this year.

Are you looking forward to Season 5? Let us know below…