'Miss Scarlet & The Duke' to Return for Season 5 Sans Duke

It took until the end of February 2024 (leap day, in point of fact!) for PBS finally confirm that Miss Scarlet & The Duke would return for Season 5 after ending on a long cliffhanger. However, the announcement contained a shocking development that no fan saw coming. Though Kate Phillips, the titular Miss Eliza Scarlet, would be back for the new series, the other half of the show's leading pair, The Duke, Detective William Wellington, played by Stuart Martin, would not. Moreover, this is not a one-season thing where the Duke sits things out only for Martin to return at the end of it all. The series is undergoing a complete rebranding, and will now be known as Miss Scarlet.

This is heartbreaking news for fans of the series, especially those who were always there for the will-they-or-won't-they romance between Eliza Scarlet and her Duke. The Duke's realization halfway through Season 4 that he was in love with Eliza and that he was willing to give up his career (as long as she gave up hers) for them to be together was a significant turning point. Until then, their not-quite-romance that never seemed willing to get off the ground had felt stalled out. Wellington's decision to leave for America when Eliza rejected him seemed the perfect way to make her realize she returned those feelings. After all, how can she miss him if he won't go away?

Season 4's ending put Eliza back in charge of her own detective agency once more, but alone, as her other semi-partner/boss in crime solving, Patrick Nash had been wrongfully arrested. Viewers assumed Season 5 would begin with Wellington's return to London and perhaps conclude with the two working together as equal partners and lovers under a single shingle, "Miss Scarlet & The Duke." But alas, that is not to be. Instead, starting in Season 5, Eliza Scarlet will go it alone. 

In the press release, Stuart Martin gave the show a hearty farewell and promised he would be joining the ranks of the Scarleteers* from here on out. 

“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!” 

(*We hope this means he'll subscribe to the podcast!)

As for who will be returning for Season 5, Phillips will be back, as will Cathy Belton as her right-hand woman, Ivy; Simon Ludders as Ivy's main squeeze, Mr. Potts; Paul Bazely as right-hand-man Clarence; Evan McCabe as the adorable Detective Fitzroy; Tim Chipping as the antagonistic Detective Phelps; and Felix Scott as the current-still-incarcerated Patrick Nash. More cast is expected to be announced in due course.

Phillips also gave a farewell shoutout to her co-lead, saying, “I will miss working with my pal Stu every day, and know Eliza will miss her Duke, but I think the best is yet to come for her. I can’t wait for fans to see what we have in store for Season 5.” And series creator Rachael New said in a statement, “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 Season 5 has begun filming in the U.K. and is expected to arrive on most PBS stations in early 2025.