Miss Scarlet will return; the Duke won’t

Miss Scarlet will be back, but now she’ll be Dukeless.
PBS’ “Masterpiece Theatre” announced today (Feb. 29) that there will be a fifth season of “Miss Scarlet and the Duke.” But it will be renamed “Miss Scarlet,” with Kate Phillips starring alone. Stuart Martin (they’re shown here) will no longer be there as police Inspector William Wellington, nicknamed “The Duke” because of his surname.
Martin, 38, said the departure is his idea and gave no explanation. He has finished his most-recent filming project, the two-part “Rebel Moon.” He’s married to Lisa McGrillis, who has regular roles on multiple British shows; they have two children.
American shows tend to nail down stars with seven-year or five-year contracts. British ones rarely do, figuring that with their shorter seasons, the actors will always find time.
(“Miss Scarlet” does only six episodes a year, but films them in Serbia, where it’s easier to re-create the Victorian era.)
Occasionally, that approach backfires. Jessica Raine, the “Call the Midwife” star, left after three seasons. Dan Stevens, one of the “Downton Abbey” stars, left after three; viewers were shocked by a season-ending episode (airing on Christmas Day in England) that killed Lady Mary’s young husband.
“Miss Scarlet and the Duke” was originally set in 1882. When here father died, Eliza Scarlet took over his detective agency, drawing opposition from everyone except Wellington, her friend since their teen years.
Lately, viewers saw hints that Martin was busy elsewhere. Wellington was missing from one Season 3 episode and appeared only sparsely in some Season 4 ones. A wealthy man put Scarlet in charge of his agency and sometimes worked with her on cases.