“I think we’ll know when the time has come to end Endeavour.
“It’s incredible that we’ve got to 33 films. I don’t think any of us expected that or anticipated it.
“But you want to do it until the story is told. Until we think that our story is told, rather than it being imposed upon you or whatever.”
Shaun Evans talking to me about whether the new series of Endeavour, which starts on ITV at 8pm this Sunday, will be the last.
The three feature length films in series eight, where we have reached February 1971, conclude with some questions answered. But with more than a few still to be dealt with.
In the first episode Endeavour has to protect a football star after a death threat. Morse knowing nothing about football. Or, as it turns out, television.
While Morse is struggling to cope after the death of Violetta on New Year’s Eve 1970 with his boss Fred Thursday (Roger Allam) yet to realise just how far the young detective has sunk.
Story two involves the murder of an Oxford cab driver. Among other developments.
While the finale features a drama involving the No 33 bus. It being the 33rd episode of Endeavour, exactly the same number as filmed by John Thaw as Inspector Morse.
I have no knowledge either way and it appears no decision has yet been taken. But I would be surprised if there was not at least one more series of Endeavour after this one.
Before it’s time to say farewell to this wonderful cast which also includes Anton Lesser as Chief Supt Reginald Bright, Sean Rigby as Det Sgt Jim Strange, James Bradshaw as Dr Max DeBryn, Caroline O’Neill as Win Thursday, Abigail Thaw as Dorothea Frazil and Sara Vickers as Joan Thursday.
Shaun also told me: “As we have always done, we need to finish this series, take a look at them, take a view over what was done well, if there’s still a story to tell and if we all still want to tell it. So, we’ll see.”
You can read my series eight interviews for ITV with Shaun Evans (Endeavour Morse) and Roger Allam (Fred Thursday) at the link below:
