Shaun Evans has opened up about the future of Endeavour, and it is good news! After previously suggesting that the show might wrap up after eight seasons, the actor revealed that he was “happy to do more” after only ever expecting to film a pilot for the series.
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Chatting to Financial Times, he said: “It’s totally unexpected but life is like that, and I’m glad it’s lasted so long… That we keep getting invited back to make more I take as a good sign. As long as there’s still a story to be told, and we can push ourselves and improve what we’ve done before, I am happy to do more.”
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The star is set to reprise his role as Endeavour Morse in season eight, which will be released in autumn, and opened up about what he thinks the appeal of the show is. “There’s something about telling a story in a long-form that’s satisfying,” he explained. “You can do so much more with that than a 90-minute film, which comes and goes. The idea of seeing six years of someone’s life, I find that fascinating. I want to help shape that character. That’s the luxury that’s afforded to me in sticking with the series for so long.”
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The actor, who has played the lead since it began in 2012, previously told Radio Times back in 2020 that he didn’t want to "milk" his time on the show. "This is our story and we shouldn't be staying at the party too long," he began, adding: "It's difficult because it's like planning your own funeral.
“Why would I not want to be earning this money? Why would I not want to be hanging out with these people who I love? But you have to be strict [because] we shouldn't be milking it.”
Shaun plays Endeavour Morse on the show
Russell Lewis, who writes the show that is a prequel to Inspector Morse, also added that the show's end could be on the horizon. "I'll do it for as long as they want me to, but I do know how it ends. We wouldn't want to get to the point where you can see the join [of the two shows], I think we'll bow out long before that."
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