‘Endeavour’ return date confirmed: When does Season 8 start?

ITV has announced when the new season of Endeavour will begin in the UK.

ITV’s Inspector Morse prequel series launched in 2012 and its seventh season premiered way back in February 2020.

Season 8 was originally meant to start filming last summer, but the shoot was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Three new episodes finally began production in Oxford, England earlier this year – and now they’re ready!

All written by Endeavour creator Russell Lewis, the upcoming feature-length stories will see Shaun Evans reprise his role as DS Endeavour Morse, alongside Roger Allam as DCI Fred Thursday.

Returning alongside Evans and Allam are Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones) as CS Reginald Bright, Sean Rigby (Gunpowder) as DS Jim Strange, James Bradshaw (Close to The Enemy) as Dr Max DeBryn, Abigail Thaw (I Want My Wife Back) as Dorothea Frazil, Caroline O’Neill (Last Tango In Halifax) as Win Thursday, and Sara Vickers (Watchmen) as Joan Thursday.

The official synopsis for Season 8 reads: “The year 1971 has just begun and any hope of light duties quickly vanishes as the team, still reeling from the events of the past year, are summoned to investigate the most challenging of cases so far.

“Endeavour’s struggle with his inner demons reaches fever pitch, exacerbated by love, lost and guilt weighing on his mind. All the while, the team find themselves right back in the thick of it as crime in Oxford takes on a scale bigger than ever before.”

Season 8’s synopsis continues: “The team’s first case gets off to an explosive start as they investigate a college bomb with possible links to recent IRA threats.

“Meanwhile, a death threat to Oxford Wanderers’ star striker Jack Swift places Endeavour (Shaun Evans) and his team at the heart of the glitz and glamour of 1970s football, exposing the true cost of success and celebrity, and with it, a deep-rooted division that is soon reflected much closer to home.

“The cases keep coming and for Endeavour the blows keep landing as he finds himself investigating the murder of a local cabbie and family man whilst Endeavour’s own past makes a surprise visit.

“Before the year ends, Endeavour and Thursday find their relationship strained further when Thursday locates information proving Endeavour’s problems have caused him to miss a major clue in a case.

“Things for the team take an interesting turn when they find themselves working separately to solve the murder of a college don. But when, Endeavour finds himself in a desperate situation, Thursday races against time to save him.”

The show’s eighth season will premiere at 8pm on Sunday 12th September on ITV.

Opening episode ‘Striker’ was directed by none other than Endeavour star Shaun Evans himself!

Season 8 will air in the US early next year on PBS Masterpiece.

Shaun Evans is currently starring in the BBC’s new submarine thriller Vigil.

Meanwhile, his Endeavour co-star Roger Allam was recently cast in BritBox’s new crime drama Murder in Provence.

The Verlaque & Bonnet novels by M.L. Longworth are being adapted for TV by Downton Abbey writer Shelagh Stephenson.

All seven seasons of Endeavour are available to watch on Amazon Prime and if you’re not already a member you can sign up for a free 30-day trial here!