Miss Scarlet Finds a New Duke (Sort Of)

Tom Durant Pritchard Joins the Cast of Miss Scarlet and the Duke for Season 5.

Fans of the PBS Masterpiece series Miss Scarlet and the Duke were left disappointed by the news that Stuart Martin, who played the role of William “The Duke” Wellington, would not be returning for the fifth season. The show has also been renamed Miss Scarlet, reflecting the departure of its former lead character.

In a statement, Martin, 38, expressed his joy at having brought Duke to life through creator Rachael New’s writing and his gratitude for playing the role over the past four years. He added that it felt like the right time for Scarlet to explore new stories and challenges as the show continues to evolve. Martin also shared that he would miss working with his co-star Kate Phillips but looked forward to following Eliza’s adventures as a fan.

Phillips, 34, who plays Miss Eliza Scarlet, revealed that she would miss working with Martin every day and that her character, Eliza, would miss the Duke. She teased that the best was yet to come for her character in season 5.

Taking on the role of Alexander Blake, a dashing detective inspector, is Tom Durant Pritchard. Blake, a former soldier, joins the Scotland Yard force to replace William “The Duke” Wellington, who has departed for America.

Durant Pritchard, 36, expressed his excitement at joining the cast, saying, “I am thrilled to be joining the team and to become part of the Scarlet family. Working with Kate has been a dream, and she’s been so welcoming.”

Alexander Blake is not particularly surprised to encounter a female private detective and takes this to mean that Eliza will be given more cases. However, their relationship gets off to a rocky start as Blake has decided against working with private detectives on his investigations. As the pair cross paths at various crime scenes across London, a mutual respect and perhaps even an attraction develop between them.

The departure of Stuart Martin and the introduction of Tom Durant Pritchard signal a new direction for the show. In an interview with the Masterpiece Studio podcast, Martin shared his thoughts on his character’s departure, saying that it brought the relationship between Eliza and the Duke to an ultimate head. “You get to put it all on the line, really, and we get to see [Eliza and Duke] get to a moment that they probably wouldn’t get to if you were going to continue. Or certainly, you’d have to pull them back from it.”

The show’s writer, Rachael New, also hinted at new directions for Eliza’s character, saying, “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!”

With production already underway in Belgrade, Serbia, and the return of several series regulars, including Evan McCabe as Detective Fitzroy, Cathy Belton as Ivy, and Felix Scott as Patrick Nash, fans can look forward to seeing how this new dynamic plays out in season 5 of Miss Scarlet.