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Production is underway on Betrayal, a four-part thriller for ITV1 and Stv, with Shaun Evans cast as a troubled MI5 officer caught between duty and disintegration. Filming is taking place in Manchester and Liverpool ahead of a 2026 release. Evans plays John Hughes, an intelligence officer struggling to adjust to a rapidly evolving spy landscape. […]

Shaun Evans Leads ITV’s Espionage Thriller <i>Betrayal</i>...

Spy Saga

The U.K.’s ITV and Mammoth Screen have commenced production on “Betrayal,” a four-part espionage thriller exploring the psychological toll of modern intelligence work. BAFTA and Emmy-nominated director Julian Jarrold helms the project, currently filming in Manchester and Liverpool.

Shaun Evans stars as John Hughes, an MI5 operative struggling with contemporary intelligence demands while his personal life crumbles. Olivier Award winner Romola Garai plays his partner Claire, a Gp whose trust erodes under the strain of his secretive profession.

The ensemble includes Zahra Ahmadi, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Gamba Cole, and Omid Djalili, alongside television newcomers. Award-winning playwright David Eldridge penned the series. Eldridge has upcoming adaptations including John le Carré’s “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” at Soho Place.

Produced by Irma Inniss (“Mr Loverman”), the drama follows Hughes’ investigation of a British-Iranian informant that turns deadly, triggering scrutiny from superiors. Executive producers include Mammoth...

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Mercy for None is a South Korean action noir crime thriller drama series created by Yoo Ki-seong. Based on the webtoon Plaza Wars: Mercy for None by Oh Se-hyung and Kim Gyun-tae, the Netflix series follows Nam Gi-jun, a former crime enforcer who left his life of crime behind, but when his brother is murdered, he returns to seek revenge. Mercy for None stars So Ji-sub, Huh Joon-ho, Ahn Gil-kang, Lee Beom-soo, Gong Myung, Choo Young-woo, and Jo Han-chul. So, if you loved the thrilling story, brutal action, and compelling characters in Mercy for None, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

My Name (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

My Name is a South Korean action crime thriller series created by Kim Ba-da. The Netflix series follows Yoon Ji-woo, a woman driven to get revenge for the death of her father,...

True crime thrillers always do well on television or film. Just look at Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story to see how murderers and broken people almost automatically pique our interest. However, rather than giving the disturbing serial killer the spotlight, Until I Kill You follows Delia Balmer (Anna Maxwell Martin) and her trauma following her violent relationship with and attempted murder at the hands of John Sweeney (Shaun Evans), as well as the following years of her trying to get on with her life.

As the title suggests, Until I Kill You delves into dark themes of domestic violence and its enduring effects. This four-part drama series aired on British network ITV earlier this year, adapting the harrowing autobiography by Delia Balmer. She recounted surviving years of assaults by her boyfriend, John Sweeney, who was later revealed to be a serial killer.

Through flashbacks and a nonlinear narrative, we learn of Delia’s initial meeting with Sweeney at a pub and the horrors that followed. Played with intensity by Anna Maxwell Martin, Delia is no simple victim—she’s a complex, stubborn loner. This makes her all the more believable as a survivor fighting for justice, even as the system fails her. Shaun Evans is disturbingly convincing as Sweeney, charming yet increasingly monstrous.

The story spans decades as Delia struggles with trauma’s lasting shadows. We see how abuse imprints on both mind and body,...

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NCIS: Origins is a military police procedural crime thriller drama series created by Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North. The CBS series serves as a prequel to the long-running hit series NCIS and it follows the origins of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs as he joins the Nis after his wife and daughter were murdered. NCIS: Origins stars Austin Stowell, Mark Harmon, Kyle Schmid, and Diany Rodriguez. So, if you loved the thrilling drama, complex stories, and compelling characters in NCIS: Origins here are some similar shows you should check out next.

NCIS Credit – CBS

NCIS is a military police procedural action thriller drama series created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill. The CBS series follows Naval Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs as he leads a team of investigators to investigate various criminal...

BBC Studios has announced the titles coming to BritBox in November 2024, which include everything from new BritBox Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.

The November lineup includes Sherwood Season 2, Until I Kill You, Avoidance Season 2 (in Canada), Paul Abbott’s Shameless Seasons 6-9, The Complete and Utter History of Britain, and more.

Sherwood Season 2

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television and culture, offering the most comprehensive, must-see collection of British entertainment all in one place. The service provides a pipeline of exceptional storytelling and showcases the depth and breadth of British creativity from across the UK.

BritBox curates a quality selection of classic titles and original commissions across various genres, including dramas, comedies, documentaries, and lifestyle programming. Launched in 2017 and now wholly owned by BBC Studios,...

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Murder in a Small Town is a mystery crime drama series created by Ian Weir. Based on The Alberg and Cassandra Mysteries novel series by author L.R. Wright, the Fox series is set in the small idyllic town of Gibsons and it follows the story of the new police chief Karl Alberg after he leaves the city and comes to town to get some peace of mind and find a new partner, but he is soon confronted with various crimes that he has to solve with the help of his team. Murder in a Small Town stars Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk in the lead roles with James Cromwell, Stana Katic, Mya Lowe, and Aaron Douglas starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the murder mysteries, complex relationships, and compelling characters in Murder in a Small Town...

Some fun news for One Life To Live (Oltl) fans as Eddie Alderson, who played Matthew Buchanan from 2001 to 2012, got married over the weekend, wedding pharmacist Sylwia Practon, on Saturday, September 21.

The two said their vows at Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and a beautiful reception followed at Terrain at DelVal.

One Life To Live – Alum Eddie Alderson’s Heartfelt Instagram Post

The actor hopped on Instagram posting, “Yesterday I married my best friend,” and adding, “Dreams really do come true.”

Former Oltl castmates were out in full force to wish Eddie congratulations on the post, including Michael Easton (ex-John McBain), Mark Lawson (ex-Brody Lovett), Tuc Watkins (ex-David Vickers), Sean Ringgold (ex-Shaun Evans), and Bree Williamson (ex-Jessica Buchanan).

In addition, some of his former Oltl co-stars took part in the wedding, including his sister, Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr Manning), who was in the bridal party,...

ITV has commissioned ‘Betrayal’, an intense espionage thriller set within MI5. Starring Shaun Evans, the series follows a veteran spy’s race against time to thwart a major threat while confronting personal turmoil. John Hughes, portrayed by Shaun Evans, is an MI5 agent who joined during the war on terror. Now in his mid-40s, […]

ITV Orders MI5 Thriller ‘Betrayal’ with Shaun Evans...

Exclusive: ITV has greenlit an espionage thriller starring and produced by Vigil’s Shaun Evans from Mammoth Screen.

Evans plays John Hughes in Betrayal, which is set in the clandestine world of MI5. Hughes joined MI5 during the war on terror and was at the forefront of averting the biggest terrorist plots on UK soil. Now in his mid 40s and married with two children he’s struggling to adapt to the new MI5, where threats to national security have changed and he’s forced to adapt to the values of a progressive work environment.

The show is co-produced with Navarino Pictures, the nascent production outfit founded by Evans earlier this year. Evans plays Elliot Glover in BBC hit Vigil while other credits include Until I Kill You and Endeavour, in which he stars as Inspector Morse. He is the latest actor to get involved behind the camera with an ITV series,...

It was a prequel that took on a life of its own. Endeavour, the British crime drama that premiered in 2012 and became a staple of PBS’s Masterpiece lineup, ended last summer after 36 feature-length episodes, all written by executive producer Russell Lewis. The smashing conclusion resolved some storylines but left unanswered questions — and may have even changed the way some viewers look at parent series Inspector Morse (1987-2000), based on the novels of Colin Dexter. In the newer show, the younger Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) started out as a somewhat jaded detective constable in 1965 Oxford, and by 1972 had become a massively cynical detective sergeant. The darkness he faced on the job took its toll. So too did drink and heartbreak. The former Oxford University student watched the woman he loved, Joan Thursday (Sara Vickers), marry his colleague Jim Strange (Sean Rigby). Meanwhile, Morse’s mentor, Chief Inspector Fred Thursday (Roger Allam...

Have you entertained the possibility that the person you are dating could be a serial killer? Yet, that’s exactly what happened to Delia Balmer, who had no idea that her new boyfriend, John Sweeney, was a psychopath and a serial killer. Delia’s story is one of the most unimaginable horrors that one might come across. She has written a book about her experiences titled Until I Kill You, where she opens up about her near-death experiences and the torment she went through, to the point where she felt it might have been better to die than to continue living through such pain. The TV adaptation of her story features Anna Maxwell Martin as Delia Balmer. Martin’s portrayal of Delia’s torment is incredible. If you’ve seen her in roles in films and shows like Mandy or Motherland, you’ll know she’s usually witty and funny,...

Prepare for a tense and thought-provoking evening as “Vigil” returns with Season 2 Episode 5, airing this Monday at 9:00 Pm on BBC One. The aftermath of a brutal rescue mission leaves protagonist Amy questioning the very foundations of her beliefs. In the gripping narrative, she grapples with a profound sense of doubt, convinced that what she once held as truth has been a carefully constructed lie.

As the drama unfolds, viewers are taken on a riveting journey through the complexities of Amy’s internal struggle. Despite her convictions, the evidence seems to lead in a direction contrary to her beliefs, adding layers of suspense and mystery to the storyline. With its intense narrative and stellar performances, “Vigil” promises another episode filled with twists, turns, and the emotional turmoil of its characters.

For those captivated by thrilling dramas that keep them on the edge of their seats, make sure to catch Season 2 Episode 5 of “Vigil” on Monday,...

Get ready for a gripping night of suspense as BBC One presents Season 2 Episode 3 of “Vigil” airing at 9:00 Pm this Tuesday, December 12, 2023. In this intense episode, the Trident nuclear submarine Hms Vigil becomes the center of a chilling investigation when a crew member is discovered dead onboard.

As the Scottish Police step in to unravel the mystery, the plot thickens, creating a tense atmosphere onboard the submarine. The stakes are high as the UK’s nuclear deterrent must remain unbroken, compelling the submarine to stay on patrol even amidst the investigation. Viewers can expect a thrilling blend of crime, intrigue, and the complex world of nuclear submarines in this latest installment.

Tune in for a rollercoaster of emotions and nail-biting moments as “Vigil” continues to deliver its trademark suspense. Whether you’re a fan of crime dramas or drawn to the intricacies of military mysteries, this Tuesday night promises...

The cast of Endeavour Season 7 delivers exceptional performances, making the series particularly gripping. Shaun Evans shines as the young Endeavour Morse, showcasing his talent as both an actor and director. Roger Allam impresses as the mentor figure Fred Thursday, while Anton Lesser captivates as Reginald Bright, adding depth to the show's ensemble cast.

When it first premiered back in 2020, the Endeavour cast of season 7 saw a talented group of actors come together and give a series of excellent performances. A prequel to the Inspector Morse series, Endeavour tells the story of a young Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) who drops out of Oxford University to pursue his goal of becoming a detective for the Oxford City Police. Endeavour begins with the young Morse starting out as a detective constable, but throughout the series, he slowly works his way up to becoming a detective sergeant with the help of his mentor and friend,...

Annette Bening was center stage in 2004 at the Toronto International Film Festival when Being Julia, directed by Istvan Szabo, served as the opening night film. “We are thrilled to open this year’s festival with Being Julia,” Piers Handling, the TIFF Group’s then CEO and director, said. “Annette Bening gives an award-worthy performance surrounded by tremendous Canadian and international talent.” And, in fact, Bening went on to receive the third of her four Oscar nominations for her performance as a middle-aged London stage actress who discovers a new lease on life when her husband (Jeremy Irons) introduces her to a young actor (Shaun Evans) with whom she begins an affair.

“We love our movie. We’re hopelessly partial to it,” the actress enthused to Hello! Magazine on the red carpet. “It’s something that I worked very hard on and I really care very deeply about it.” Accompanying her was her husband,...

Endeavour season 8 delves deeper into Morse's alcoholism and his struggle to cope with personal loss, affecting his work and relationships. The crimes in season 8 involve a letter bomb, a string of assaults, and a bus murder, testing Morse's knowledge and wits. Morse's journey in season 8 leads him on a path of self-destruction, but ultimately forces him to confront his addiction and seek help for his issues.

Endeavour season 8 once again follows the titular Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) in the early days of his detective work with the Oxford City Police Cid. Endeavour is the third show in the British murder mystery Inspector Morse series following the original Inspector Morse and its spin-off, Lewis. As a prequel series, Endeavour shows how Inspector Morse first became a detective constable before rising to the rank of detective sergeant. Inspector Morse is an extremely intelligent and knowledgeable young detective who has an almost...

It can’t go on. Must-watch TV shows have been arriving at an unmanageable rate for so long that releasing an excellent new series is now essentially an act of violence. Nobody has the time to be this thoroughly entertained.

Curation is our only solution. Recommendations that cut through promotional budgets and PR hype, leaving behind just the good stuff. Below, we’ve collected the best of the best from this year of UK television so far. If you only have time to watch a handful of shows in 2023, make them these gems. We’ll add any others that make the grade as the year goes on, and do please make your own recommendations below.

Happy Valley Series 3

Stream on: BBC iPlayer (UK); AMC+/BBC America/Acorn TV from May 22nd (US)

Series three is when the word-of-mouth enthusiasm for Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley started to break through even...

Warning: contains spoilers for the Endeavour series nine finale ‘Exeunt’.

Relief! That was the main emotion felt by Endeavour fans as the credits rolled on the series finale. Not only had this excellent drama gone out on a high, but beloved character Dci Fred Thursday had survived. Fred wasn’t – as many fans had feared – carried out of Thames Valley Police Station feet first. He lived to ‘mind how you go’ another day.

What’s more, Fred’s daughter Joan survived too, as did Winn, and Sam. The whole Thursday lot lasted out the series, with barely a scratch on them. Phew. Breathe out. What a relief.

In the general ‘thank goodness’ of it all, it was easy to miss that Fred Thursday’s exit from Endeavour was in fact bitterly cruel, and perhaps even worse than if he had been killed off. No, Fred didn’t die, but, boy,...

Warning: contains spoilers for Endeavour series nine episode three ‘Exeunt’.

Shaun Evans “didn’t want to leave anyone in any doubt” as to exactly how his character felt about Joan Thursday in the Endeavour finale. Speaking on the Masterpiece Studio podcast with host Jace Lacob, Evans explains, “It’s all well and good having sidelong glances in the mirror at someone, but it was important to me to leave the audience knowing this is where his heart is.”

After the finale’s brief but unforgettable daydream scene, Endeavour’s audience were left in zero doubt about where Morse’s heart was – unmendably broken, devoted to Joan Thursday but having left it too late to ever tell her.

Too late at least, in the show’s reality. In Endeavour’s mind, he imagined what it would be like to tell Joan the truth – that he’s loved her ever since she...

Warning: contains spoilers for the Endeavour series nine finale ‘Exeunt’.

It’s almost a year since filming wrapped on Endeavour in August 2022, and longer than that since actor-director-producer Shaun Evans first read the script for his character’s exit. During that time, Evans has reflected on the show’s finale ‘Exeunt’, what his years as Morse have meant to him (spoiler: a great deal), and what the future may hold for his crossword-solving, bitter-drinking detective in the decades before Inspector Morse begins.

In an in-depth and poignant new interview with PBS Masterpiece (read it in full here), Evans says goodbye to the role for good, and explains why Joan and Fred’s endings struck exactly the right bittersweet note.

When the script for Endeavour’s finale arrived, Shaun Evans tells PBS Masterpiece, he thought “That’s it. That’s exactly what it should be.” Now that ‘Exeunt’ has aired in...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for the July 2 Endeavour series finale, “Exeunt.”] Many TV shows are well past their prime by the time they hit their final season. Not Endeavour. The magnificent British series, a prequel to another mystery drama classic, Inspector Morse (1987-2000), bid farewell to American viewers Sunday night, July 2, on PBS with shocking resolutions, heartbreaking goodbyes and even a bit of Shakespeare. Over nine seasons and 36 feature-length episodes, the Oxford-set show has treated viewers to richly drawn characters, cerebral mysteries and 1960s and ’70s nostalgia. We got new insight into the beleaguered and brilliant Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) by watching him evolve from a neophyte detective constable into someone more like the jaded loner played by John Thaw in the original series. In the last season’s third and final installment, appropriately titled “Exeunt,” Evans’ Detective Sergeant Morse and Roger Allam’s Chief Inspector Fred Thursday finally close the book on one of their most...

“Life will divide us into winners and everyone else.” So says Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse in the 1972-set ninth season of the beloved British crime drama. Played with woeful longing by Shaun Evans, the police detective may not be a victor at life, but the series, which the creative team decided to end after 36 feature-length episodes, delivered labyrinthine mysteries and memorably endearing characters as it navigated a crowded television landscape to find an audience in the U.S. The show is the longest-running current series on PBS’s Masterpiece roster, but its beginnings were modest. It was initially conceived as a prequel TV movie to the popular Inspector Morse series (1987–2000), based on the novels and characters of Colin Dexter. When it was picked up as a series, its stars didn’t expect they’d still be unraveling mysteries a decade later. Along the way, Evans’ younger Morse — an Oxford University...

Crime dramas can sit on a pretty broad spectrum: some are campy, cosy and even comfortingly formulaic, whereas others make you need to sleep with the light on. The one guarantee is that in the UK at least, there’s such an appetite for detectives and crime stories that TV will never run out of new cases to solve.

We’ve already had some top examples in 2023, from the Happy Valley and Endeavour finales to the excellent Belfast-based Blue Lights, but there are plenty more fresh crime dramas on the way, from police procedurals to true crime and murder mysteries. See what’s coming up below.

After The Flood

Very much what it says on the tin, After The Flood begins… after a flood, which devastates a town, but when the waters clear they leave behind an unidentified dead man in the lift of an underground car park. PC Joanna Marshall is on the case,...

Fancy watching a no-nonsense Yorkshire cop on the brink of retirement finally taking down her nemesis? How about an Oxford scholar pitting his wits against a decades-long conspiracy? These are the premises for just two of the exciting British TV shows about to arrive in the US but that’s not all: there’s also globe-trotting sci-fi with big ideas, a fast-paced dark comedy, a remarkable depiction of marriage by two British acting stalwarts, and more besides.

From cosy crime to original comedy, here are the UK TV highlights coming to America:

Happy Valley Series 3

BBC America, Acorn TV, AMC+ – 22nd May at 10pm Et/Pt

Sally Wainwright’s excellent Yorkshire-based crime drama Happy Valley had been off UK screens since 2016, but returned for its highly-anticipated third and final series earlier this year.

The show centres on the straight-talking police sergeant Catherine Cawood, and her ongoing feud with the dangerous criminal Tommy Lee Royce.

Endeavour, the PBS Masterpiece detective drama that stars Shaun Evans and Roger Allam, will return for its ninth and final season June 18.

Inspired by Inspector Morse, the spinoff set in the ’70s will wrap with Endeavour Morse (Evans) and his superior officer Fred Thursday (Allam) facing new crimes and an unsolved case from the past. Jack Bannon (Pennyworth) will return as Sam, while other characters from former seasons are expected to appear in the finale.

The ensemble cast includes Anton Lesser as Cs Reginald Bright, Sean Rigby as Jim Strange and James Bradshaw as Dr. Max DeBryn.

The final season was written by Endeavour creator Russell Lewis, who was also responsible for the 36 episodes over the past decade.

An hourlong documentary titled Morse and The Last Endeavour is planned for June 11.

It’s tough to say goodbye. Endeavour’s ninth series concluded over a decade spent with the Cowley Station (later Thames Valley) gang, so it’s only natural for fans feeling bereft to seek out their favourites’ next steps. Having hung up his Fred Thursday hat, Roger Allam can be seen this year on screen and stage, while Shaun Evans is taking on a very different kind of crime drama role.

From Endeavour production company Mammoth Screen, there’s a new period drama co-production, plus the return of series creator Russell Lewis’ next ITV detective drama, starring John Simm. Find all the info below.

Shaun Evans – True Crime Serial Killer Drama Delia Balmer (w/t)

Actor-director Shaun Evans is currently filming the role of real-life serial killer John Sweeney in a new ITV true crime drama. Evans will star opposite Anna Maxwell-Martin, who plays Sweeney’s former girlfriend Delia Balmer in the four-part series,...

2023 is going to be a year of long-awaited drama treats on UK TV. There’s the Luther film finally arriving on Netflix in March, Unforgotten is back after that Series 4 finale in 2021, and we’re getting the second season of Good Omens that has had the shows’ many enthusiastic fans on the edge of their seats for two years.

There are even whispers of a Line of Duty return, although Martin Compston has said that nothing is confirmed, so we’re not exclaiming ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey!’ just yet.

It’s also a year of dramatic goodbyes: Happy Valley returned for its third and final series on New Year’s Day, Endeavour will wrap up after over a decade of detective work, and 2023 might also squeeze in the sixth and final season of The Crown.

This is our roundup of the British TV shows we’re...

Warning: contains spoilers for Endeavour Series 1 – 9.

Endeavour’s blend of long-form storytelling and case-of-the-week thrills means that rewarding character moments are dotted throughout its ingenious murder mysteries. Its very best episodes strike a fine balance between the two. Satisfying puzzles, diverting investigations that make the most of the period setting, and enjoyable guest stars are one thing, but Endeavour’s success also lies in the simultaneous development of characters and relationships that have come to mean a great deal to fans over the years.

The 10 episodes below, listed in (an entirely subjective) order of greatness, achieve all of that. They could easily have been joined by half a dozen more – cases could certainly be made for ‘Sway’, ‘Harvest’, ‘Fugue’ and pilot episode ‘Overture’, to name just a few – from the 36 films totalling over 50 hours of drama from creator Russell Lewis and Mammoth Screen. If you find this selection wide of the mark,...

Reaching into Inspector Morse’s past for a prequel series was a gamble that paid off handsomely. Endeavour, which followed the young detective over a seven-year period from constable to detective sergeant in the 1960s and early 1970s, just concluded after nine series. It was an exemplary prequel, beloved by newcomers and by fans of the original Inspector Morse, which it referenced playfully and with imagination.

Endeavour’s success was not a given, nor should it be laid at the feet of simple IP recognition. Prime Suspect 1973, which attempted the same trick by following a younger version of Helen Mirren’s celebrated Dci Jane Tennison, lasted only one series. Young Wallander on Netflix made it to two, but the response has been lukewarm. The 1930s-set Perry Mason starring Matthew Rhys in the lead role is faring better on HBO, but it’s clear that it’s not enough simply to...

Warning: contains spoilers for the Endeavour Series 9 finale and the Inspector Morse finale.

There have scarcely been more elegant TV endings. In its final episode ‘Exeunt’, Endeavour bid farewell much in the restrained and upright manner of its central characters. Like them, it said a great deal without saying too much, and paid purposeful tributes with a light touch.

The finale’s last moments played out dialogue-free with a meaningful passing of the baton. As young Morse drove his black Jaguar Mk 1 out of the Blenheim Palace grounds, he passed a red Jaguar Mk 2 travelling in the opposite direction. Each driver clocked the other in their rear view mirror – the eyes of Shaun Evans in one, and the eyes of Inspector Morse star John Thaw in the other.

That moment was a call-back to almost the very same at the end of the 2012 Endeavour pilot ‘Overture’ in which Thaw’s...

Warning: contains spoilers for Endeavour Series 9 Episode 2 ‘Uniform’

“But they’re not here, and I am,” should be the words stamped beneath Acc Bright’s face on a range of Endeavour merchandise. With them, Bright went from upright company man to heroic leader of this band of brothers. A band now one brother bigger following the surprise return of DS Jakes – last seen in Series 3 – at the episode’s cliffhanger ending. With a “Wotcha”, Little Pete was back, this time hopefully ready to face his demons.

There was a stirring sense of heroism in ‘Uniform’ as one by one, our men chose good over self-interest. Morse led the charge by offering to draw enemy fire so Thursday could protect his promotion, but when it came to it, Fred stood shoulder to shoulder with his bagman. It took Bright’s direct defiance of Division orders, and DeBryn’s identification of the...

Warning: contains spoilers for Endeavour Series 9 Episode 1 ‘Prelude’.

It’s May 1972, six months after Morse finally accepted that he needed to seek help with his drink problem. He’s back at Castle Gate after taking the cure – sober, dapper and in control… until his offer to escort Miss Thursday to the next wedding in her diary meets the news that Joan’s next wedding will be her own. Our detective had spent the last series so lost in booze that he’d failed to detect Joan’s emerging romance with Jim Strange. Now, he faces being the best man at a ceremony where he may once have hoped to be the groom.

Coming in second was revealed as the – somewhat unsatisfactory – motive for the episode’s main murder: an orchestra leader poisoned by the best friend who’d lived in her shadow since they were teenagers. Whether it was the...

Warning: contains spoilers for Endeavour Series 1-8.

What happens to Fred? That question has preoccupied Endeavour fans ever since Di Fred Thursday first took young Constable Morse under his wing in the Inspector Morse prequel. Morse’s mentor and father figure is an invention of Endeavour creator Russell Lewis, and doesn’t appear in Colin Dexter’s novels or the original television series. That explains in real terms why Fred’s never mentioned in the later series, but what might explain his absence in story terms?

The happiest possibility, of course, is that Fred finally gets to hang his Winchester over the fireplace, retires to the seaside with Win, lives to a ripe old age, and sends Morse a yearly Christmas card with news of the grandchildren. In this scenario, Fred’s life would be so content and fulfilled that Inspector Morse simply never thinks to mention him in later years,...

Exclusive: Line Of Duty star Anna Maxwell Martin and Vigil actor Shaun Evans are to headline an ITV true crime series about a woman who escapes a near-fatal relationship with a murderer.

BAFTA-winner Maxwell Martin will star as Delia Balmer, a woman who fell for murderer John Sweeney (Evans) and overcame a horrific attack to provide vital evidence in the prosecution against her former lover.

Delia Balmer (working title) is produced by ITV Studios-backed World Productions, which made Bodyguard and Line of Duty. Based on Balmer’s book Living with a Serial Killer, the four-part series is written by Nick Stevens, who penned Luke Evans drama The Pembrokeshire Murders.

Balmer, an agency nurse, met Sweeney in a London pub in 1991. His artistic, anti-establishment persona gave way to menacingly violent attacks on Balmer, during which he confessed to killing his ex-girlfriend and dumping her body in an Amsterdam canal.

Sweeney...

The end is nigh. Filming on Endeavour’s final season wrapped in August 2022, meaning the last three episodes of the beloved Inspector Morse prequel are currently being readied and will likely air on ITV in the UK in early 2023, with the PBS Masterpiece US air date to follow.

While working on the final season, actor-director Shaun Evans spared some time to answer fan questions about his work on the crime drama, his character, Morse’s troubled romantic life, and of course, what’s promised in the final instalments. Over 500 viewer questions were submitted to PBS Masterpiece, whittled down to just eight. Evans’ thoughtful answers are available to read in full here.

Among queries on Endeavour and Joan Thursday’s doomed attraction, the character’s transition from bright young pup to misanthropic inspector, and what he’d say to Morse if he met him at a party, Evans was quizzed about...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for the Endeavour Season 8 finale, “Terminus.”] The penultimate season of British drama Endeavour, Masterpiece’s longest-running current series, concluded on PBS Sunday with one of its more unusual installments: a mystery that fused Agatha Christie and slasher films. “Terminus” was the title of the series’ 33rd episode, written by creator and executive producer Russell Lewis and directed by Kate Saxon, but it could just as easily have been called “Friday the 13th, 1971” or “I Know What You Did Eight Winters Ago.” In the middle of a blizzard, Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) and a group of stranded bus passengers take refuge in an abandoned hotel that closed down years ago after guests were massacred by an escaped psychopath. Or were they? When suspicious things start happening in dark rooms and twisted corridors, it looks as if the killer may be among them, and it’s a chance for Morse, who drank...

It’s finally been confirmed: ITV’s Endeavour will return for another three-episode series, which will be the Inspector Morse prequel’s final outing. It was announced this week that a mutual decision had been made between producers Mammoth Screen, creator Russell Lewis and stars Shaun Evans and Roger Allam to bring the crime drama to a close. The currently filming ninth series will be Endeavour’s last.

Mammoth Screen commented: “Russell always knew where he wanted the series to end, and that Remorseful Day is nearly upon us!” The latter quote was used by Inspector Morse creator Colin Dexter as the title of his final Morse novel, and originally comes from the A.E. Housman poem known as ‘How Clear, How Lovely Bright’. The series nine news from PBS Masterpiece was accompanied by a video of Shaun Evans reciting that poem, which was quoted by John Thaw’s iteration of...

The endeavors of police detective Endeavour Morse will end with Season 9 of the British mystery series. Producer Mammoth Screen, writer Russell Lewis, and stars Shaun Evans and Roger Allam have mutually decided to end Endeavour, the much loved Inspector Morse prequel, according to an announcement posted on the show’s Twitter account. After 10 phenomenal years, @mammothscreen, @ScriptULike, Shaun Evans & @All_Allam have mutually decided to bring #Endeavour to a close. Series 9, currently filming in Oxford, will be the last. Thank you to the Endeavour family & fans, & @ITV + @masterpiecepbs for your support pic.twitter.com/s5ZELiUQGe — Endeavour (@EndeavourTV) May 23, 2022 The announcement was accompanied by a minute-long film-clip montage of Evans as Morse throughout the course of the series, over which the actor recited the A.E. Housman poem “The Remorseful Day.” That was also the title of the final episode of Inspector Morse, which first aired in 2000. “Endeavour has been a...

Endeavour, the long-running Inspector Morse prequel series, is ending after nine seasons.

British broadcaster ITV and PBS Masterpiece revealed the news in a video, which you can see below.

The series, which comes from writer Russell Lewis, stars Shaun Evans and Roger Allam. Season 9 is currently filming in Oxford.

The series began as a single film in 2012 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Morse and has run for 33 episodes across nine seasons.

Shaun Evans plays young Endeavour Morse, beginning his career as a detective constable, and later as a detective sergeant, with the Oxford City Police Cid. Roger Allam plays Dci Fred Thursday, Morse’s mentor.

Season 8 will air in the U.S. on PBS Masterpiece between June 19 and July 3 and will be followed by three more episodes for Season 9.

Damien Timmer, who runs producer Mammoth Screen and exec produces the series, said, “Endeavour has been a real labour of love for all of us,...

Endeavour Morse’s origin story is coming to an end.

PBS Masterpiece announced Monday that Endeavour will conclude with Season 9. The decision to end the Inspector Morse prequel was mutually agreed upon by producers Mammoth Screen, screenwriter Russell Lewis and series stars Shaun Evans and Roger Allam.

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“Endeavour has been a real labour of love for all of us, and we salute Russell Lewis for his extraordinary achievement...

While fans await official confirmation from Mammoth Productions, the planets appear to be coming into alignment for filming to start on the ninth series of ITV crime drama Endeavour, starring Shaun Evans and Roger Allam.

Series eight concluded on ITV in September 2021 with a touching tribute to Inspector Morse actor John Thaw, and some uplifting words from Allam’s Fred Thursday. Having reached its 33rd episode (the same number of Morse stories filmed), many predicted eight would be Endeavour’s final series, though Allam suggested the drama would have “a few more to wrap things up”. Not least to wrap up the ongoing mystery of how and why his character has disappeared from Morse’s life by the time of the John Thaw incarnation.

Casting Call

The first sign that the long-running Inspector Morse prequel had been recommissioned came in February 2022, when the I Heart British TV website cannily spotted...

Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) returns to Masterpiece on PBS Sunday, June 19 for three more 90-minute episodes of the popular British mystery series Endeavour. “I’m here to make sure justice gets done,” Morse asserts in the Season 8 trailer, which shows the Oxford detective and his colleagues on the trail of more murderers in 1971. He’s joined once again by Detective Chief Inspector Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), his loyal senior officer/father figure; Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright (Anton Lesser), their recently widowed boss; and Detective Sergeant Jim Strange (Sean Rigby). Other longtime characters are also returning: pathologist Max DeBryn (James Bradshaw), newspaper editor Dorothea Frazil (Abigail Thaw), and Thursday’s wife Win (Caroline O’Neill) and daughter Joan (Sara Vickers), whom Morse has been pining for since the mid-’60s. Joan was noticeably absent from Season 7 due to the actress’s real-life pregnancy. In those episodes, set in 1970, Morse had...

The "Jackass" crew have put themselves through all kinds of cartoonish violence in the name of entertainment, but it turns out there were some stunts that went too far even for these gnarly dudes. While playing "Truth or Dab" with "Hot Ones" host Shaun Evans to promote the upcoming "Jackass Forever", Steve-o and Jason "Wee Man"Acuña recently shared the three bits that were deemed too violent to make it into the "Jackass" movies. 

On "Truth or Dab", contestants usually either have to answer Evans' hard-hitting, well-researched questions, or eat a wing doused in flaming hot "The Last Dab" sauce. Steve-o and Wee Man don't really stick to...

The post Three Jackass Stunts Were Too Dangerous to Actually Make It Into the Movies appeared first on /Film.

All prequels head towards a predetermined endpoint, the question is how long they spend getting there. In the case of ITV’s Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour, that endpoint won’t be the moment that the baton passes from Shaun Evans’ incarnation of the detective as a younger man to John Thaw’s first appearance as the character. “We don’t plan to take it up to 1987 – that’s a fairly safe bet!” Endeavour creator Russell Lewis told Den of Geek in 2019. Considering that it took six series for the drama to cover just half of the 1960s, that comes as no surprise.

If Endeavour’s deadline isn’t calendar-based, it looks likely to be character-based. For almost a decade, fans have been watching the young detective’s gradual transformation from what Lewis describes as Morse’s “bright-eyed and bushy tailed” first appearance in the 1965-set 2012 special, to the lugubrious and...

Endeavour Series 8 Episode 1 Review: ‘Striker’

Warning: this Endeavour review contains spoilers.

It’s 1971, and Oxford’s finest are, as ever, dealing with all of humanity’s worst impulses. Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) wakes up late from a hangover, leaving Di Thursday (Roger Allam) waiting in vain for his usual morning lift to work from his Detective Sergeant. It’s not behaviour we’d expect from our Morse…except, of course, it is, when you think about it.

John Thaw’s Inspector was a man who suffered silently, and it’s that version of the character that the sensitive, easily hurt young man we met back in Endeavour’s pilot episode nine years ago is growing into. It isn’t going to be fun to witness, but it’s what we signed up for. The shocking events of series seven’s finale, in which any last vestiges of Morse’s innocence were snuffed out forever,...

Morse’s plan to transfer to another force has either been scrapped or put on the back burner in series eight, which finds the detective in Oxford and the Castle Gate team tackling “the most challenging of cases so far,” according to the official press release. The three-part new series picks up at the start of 1971, just after series seven’s dramatic conclusion which saw Morse’s latest doomed lover take a bullet for him and die in his arms. He certainly can pick ‘em.

The loss of the scheming Violetta Talenti, and the bad blood between Morse and Thursday have taken their toll on Endeavour in series eight, which will see him “crestfallen and rarely without a scotch in-hand” and once again struggling with his inner demons. Not that it looks like there’ll be much time for Morse to dwell on his guilt, tasked as he’ll be...

Warning: this review contains Vigil spoilers.

“You’ll be on board for three days, finish your paperwork, then they’ll let you off on a raft,” Dci Silva was told. Small hope of that. More like you’ll be on board for three weeks, have zero time for paperwork between the near-misses with passing tankers, nuclear reactor failures and scheming Lieutenant Commanders, and, if you come any closer to the truth, they’ll only let you off as shark chum.

“They” being the person or persons responsible for the fatal poisoning of Chief Petty Officer Craig Burke. That’s right – poison. Silva’s such a good detective that in episode two, she solved Burke’s murder twice. First, she sniffed a trail to engineers Walsh and Hadlow, whose beef with Burke led him to a confrontation with Lt Cdr Prentice (Doctor Foster’s Adam James). Prentice thumped Burke, so when the Cpo died hours later,...

Bodyguard and Line Of Duty producer World Productions has resumed filming on its BBC One submarine thriller Vigil, starring Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie.

Produced in Glasgow, Scotland, the show was forced to shut down earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but filming is now back underway with safety protocols.

The BBC released a first-look image of the six-part series, which was taken before the shoot was postponed. It shows Jones and Shaun Evans as Dci Amy Silver and Chief Petty Officer Elliot Glover.

Vigil’s cast has been rounded out with the addition of Stephen Dillane (Game Of Thrones), Lolita Chakrabarti (Riviera), Daniel Portman (Game Of Thrones), Lorne MacFadyen (Grantchester), Stephen McCole (Save Me), Tom Gill (Peterloo), Lois Chimimba (Top Boy), Anita Vettesse (The Loch), Bobby Rainsbury (Call The Midwife), Cristian Ortega (Beats) and Lauren Lyle (Outlander).

Previously announced cast include Anjli Mohindra, Martin Compston, Paterson Joseph,...