Miss Scarlet Adds Tom Durant Pritchard for First Season Without the Duke — See Photos
The Duke may have departed, but Miss Scarlet won’t be without a dashing scene partner in the upcoming fifth season.
Tom Durant Pritchard, whose TV credits include Feel Good and This Is Going to Hurt, has joined the PBS Masterpiece series as Alexander Blake, TVLine has learned. A handsome former soldier and respected detective inspector, Blake joins the force at Scotland Yard to replace William “The Duke” Wellington, who has gone to America.
“He’s not particularly shocked by a woman working as a private eye, so Eliza takes this to mean she’ll be given more cases,” the official character description reads. “But their relationship gets off to a rocky start since Blake has decided not to allow private detectives to aid in his investigations. As Blake and Miss Scarlet cross paths at various crime scenes across London, they can’t help but develop mutual respect for one another, and perhaps even an attraction.”
“I am thrilled to be joining the team and to become part of the Scarlet family,” Pritchard said in a statement on Thursday. “Working with Kate [Phillips] has been a dream and she’s been so welcoming.”
Pritchard’s casting comes less than two months after Stuart Martin, who had played The Duke for the show’s first four seasons, departed the series.
“It has been such an incredible joy to bring Duke to life through [series creator] Rachael [New]’s beautiful, brilliant writing, and to get to play him for the past four years,” Martin said at the time. “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.”
Season 5 of Miss Scarlet is currently in production in Belgrade, Serbia. Scroll down for another behind-the-scenes photo of Pritchard and Phillips, then hit the comments with your thoughts on this casting!
I wager that the Duke character will soon be forgotten with the wise addition of this new handsome replacement. Good news!
OMG!!! This is wonderful news. Always loved this series and was disappointed that Duke left. Now I can look forward for new possibilities for Scarlett as new adventures and love interest. Cannot wait for season 5!!!!
Whew! I’m so glad they are keeping the format! They really painted themselves into a corner with the Eliza/William story line. So hopefully the characters will have good chemistry. A crime fighting duo with good chemistry is always a winner!
So Eliza instantly falls in love with Inspector Blake and the Duke isn’t even a memory. Ppppllleeeaaassseee!
Will miss the Duke…but anxious for series 5 storyline!
I really hope Eliza finally gets some.
… more attention, I wanted to say, of course.
Too funny – bravo!
Excellent news, really enjoyed last four episodes. He’s a perfect replacement for the Duke.
Perhaps we could have a rerun of the past episodes.??.
Love, Love, Love, was very sad to see the Duke go but I am eagerly awaiting our new detective.
Humm, so did Stuart Martin depart because of the storyline or because he wasn’t a fit for the show?
https://tvline.com/news/miss-scarlet-season-5-stuart-martin-leaving-the-duke-1235175955/
Won’t be watching. The removal of Duke from the show killed all the love I had for it. There will be no chances given or do-overs accepted by me.
I hope they don’t shut down production since you’re not watching!!!
Hello to handsome Tom and good riddance to cry baby Stuart.
Stuart is not a cry baby. He had to leave because of the storyline. He and Scarlett had great storyline and dialogue but not many avenues for future storyline. I, too, was very disappointed at the end of season 4. Glad he didn’t “die”, imagine this new guy and Stuart’s return from America…. hmmmm… could be a story
Maybe it’s just me but the show is called Miss Scarlet and THE DUKE! Not just any old someone. And especially when we were finally getting into the backstory between the two. Fingers crossed this won’t impact quality of the show.
We love this show and we were really sorry when “The Duke” left. I can’t comment on his replacement until I see their chemistry in the 5th season.
Just don’t take it off the air. Please keep miss scarlet and mosses. Ok 🙃 😊 thanks.
Thank you for miss scarlet updates!!! Probably my most favorite pbs show and was worried when the duke left. I’m so glad it’s continuing, kind of how Grantchester had been able to move on when cast changes. Can’t wait to see miss scarlet return!
I love the show and can’t wait for season 5. Looking forward to seeing a new face in the show and more interesting trouble for Eliza to deal with.
Yeah, they can count me out. This isn’t Sanditon (nor Downton Abbey). I could just take what TPTB have said at face value, but they’ve made a convoluted mess claiming that this for the show’s “longevity.” We wanted the story of Miss Scarlet AND THE DUKE and her and not some random dude. They should have ended the show if Stuart really wanted off. Or at least own up that they wanted to go in a different direction, if they couldn’t use the age old party line that one of their stars leaving for other opportunities. Good luck to the other actors, but I’m done.
Nothing against this lad but the other fellow was cool. He was a bad ass and you guys should have kept him.
I can’t stop playing this game!
I used to watch this show all the time, but now I don’t know where to find it. I don’t subscribe to anything more than regular channels and cable.
Good. Stuart Martin always seemed too rough for the part. JMO