Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour is to end with its ninth series, ITV and series producers Mammoth Screen have announced.
Starring Shaun Evans as Morse and Roger Allam as mentor Fred Thursday, the series was created and written by Russell Lewis and debuted in 2012 as a one-off film to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Inspector Morse’s television debut.
Over 33 films and ten years, the show has won an consistently high UK and international audience and one of ITV’s strongest performing dramas.
ITV says the decision to end the series was taken by Mammoth Screen, Russell Lewis, Shaun Evans and Roger Allam who are currently filming three further adventures in Oxford .
In a statement, the broadcaster said: “ITV’s drama commissioning team respectfully accepts this creative decision and would like to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone associated with Endeavour who have made the drama such a well loved part of the UK’s drama landscape.
“ITV would particularly like to thank Damien Timmer, Russell Lewis, Shaun Evans and Roger Allam who have created television history following in the footsteps of Morse’s acclaimed creator, the late, great, Colin Dexter and the much missed John Thaw.”
Executive Producer Damien Timmer, on behalf of Mammoth Screen, said: “Endeavour has been a real labour of love for all of us, and we salute Russell Lewis for his extraordinary achievement in chronicling Endeavour Morse’s coming of age across 72 hours of tv.
“Russell always knew where he wanted the series to end, and that Remorseful Day is nearly upon us! We’d like to thank Shaun and Roger and all the other members of the Endeavour family on and off screen, and to the show’s fans both in the U.K. and abroad.
“Russell has many surprises up his sleeve for the final three films, with the return of some familiar faces and new challenges for Endeavour and Thursday to face before the final goodbye!”