Inspector Morse spin-off Endeavour series eight on ITV could be the last

But mystery surrounds the transmission date for series eight, which is expected to be shown in 2021.

Coronavirus-related shutdowns could delay filming and production schedules.

And it's a possibility that series eight could be the last.

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In an interview, creator Russell Lewis mentioned an interesting script problem created by the coronavirus lockdown.

Unlike many period dramas, Endeavour has always set the story 50 years prior to the year of broadcast.

So a series slated to air in 2021 would have been set in 1971 but there's a good chance the script will now need to be modified a bit to change the timeline.

One hint that season eight will be the last is the number of episodes Endeavour has run to this point.

The original Inspector Morse ran for 33 episodes, and Lewis ran for 33 episodes.

It has been suggested that, out of respect for the original, none of the spin-offs would go beyond that total.

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Since filming began for ITV's Inspector Morse episodes in the late 1980s, film crews have been a familiar sight on the streets of Oxford, so it will be the end of an era when Endeavour does finish its run.

So far, there have been few details about the production or plot of series eight.

What we do know is that producers hope to set the season in 1971 – although 1972 is certainly a possibility.