Masterpiece on PBS announced on Thursday that Miss Scarlet and the Duke has been officially renewed for a fifth season, but it won’t be the same. Now titled just Miss Scarlet Season 5, the new season will return without one of its original title stars: Stuart Martin as William “Duke” Wellington.
In a statement to Masterpiece accompanying the renewal notice, Martin said, “It has been such an incredible joy to bring Duke to life through Rachael’s beautiful, brilliant writing, and to get to play him for the past four years. But it felt like the time was right for Scarlet to explore new stories and challenges for now, as the show continues to grow and evolve. I will miss working with my amazing partner in crime Kate and the rest of our brilliant family and team, but I’m excited to continue following Eliza and her escapades as a huge fan and newly enrolled Scarleteer!”
Miss Scarlet Season 5: What We Know So Far
Miss Scarlet Season 5 will continue to be led by Kate Phillips as Eliza Scarlet, along with fellow returning cast members Evan McCabe as Detective Fitzroy, Cathy Belton as Ivy, Felix Scott as Patrick Nash, Paul Bazely as Clarence, Simon Ludders as Mr. Potts, and Tim Chipping as Detective Phelps.
It’s a shocking development for Miss Scarlet and the Duke, which earned an international following equally for its female-led Victorian crime-solving and for its slow-burn will-they-won’t-they between Eliza and William. In a flashback episode in Season 4, we learned how the pair first met, and we finally witnessed their long-bantered-about first kiss as teenagers. In the present day, William confessed his love for Eliza after a near-fatal injury, and they finally shared their first (present-day) kiss, delighting viewers.
He then took a temporary posting in America so they could work out what they needed to do to be together. At the time, his absence from the last two episodes of Season 4 seemed attributable to Martin’s other filming commitments. Now, alas, it seems it may have been setting up his permanent departure.
Miss Scarlet Season 5 does not yet have a release date.
In the Masterpiece announcement, series creator Rachael New says, “We will miss our Duke but there is so much in store for Eliza – new crimes, new friends, new foes and new romance. We will be keeping her very busy!”
Miss Scarlet Limited’s Patty Lenahan Ishimoto adds, “Duke’s departure brings a poignant shift to the series. One that allows for further creative evolution and for Eliza to face new challenges, forging ahead in a narrative landscape filled with suspense, crime-solving, and unexpected (platonic and romantic) relationships.”
How are you feeling about this surprising twist? Will you still be tuning in? Let us know in the comments below!
