ITV is to revive three of its classic drama brands including Inspector Morse in a bid to increase ratings.
ITV is to revive three of its classic drama brands including Inspector Morse in a bid to increase ratings.

The move will see Inspector Morse returning with the Oxford detective's sidekick Lewis in the leading role. Inspector more made a final appearance in The Remorseful Day in November 2000 in which the character died of a heart attack.

After Morse, which will now come out of Michele Buck's department at Granada, will be a two-hour special, which will be produced by Chris Burt. Colin Dexter, the author who created Morse has given the project his blessing as did actor John Thaw's widow Sheila Hancock and ITV controller of drama Nick Elliott said that an appropriate amount of time had now passed since the death of Thaw to bring the programme back.

ITV is also bringing back a two-hour special of John Mortimer's Rumpole of the Bailey , with actor Albert Finney replacing Leo McKern, who died in 2002. This will see three of Mortimer's 'shortish' stories put into one film.

Added to this Elliott confirmed that he is also bringing back Sharpe, with Sean Bean set to once again star as the Napoleonic war hero also indicated that ITV will do another Prime Suspect.

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