The MORSE CODE

ABIGAIL THAW chats to TV Times about Endeavour's swansong and her father's legacy

- CAREN CLARK

ENDEAVOUR SUNDAY, 8PM, ITV1 DRAMA

For Abigail Thaw, filming the final series of ITV1’s period crime drama Endeavour has truly felt like the end of an era. The actor – AKA shrewd Oxford Mail editor Dorothea Frazil, the regular provider of a sympathetic ear and a tantalising clue for DS Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) – is the daughter of the late John Thaw, who won two BAFTAs for his star turn in Inspector Morse from 1987 to 2000. And Abigail admits she has been touched and hugely honoured to have played her own vital role in the prequel for over a decade.

‘It has been an amazing privilege to take things full circle on my own terms but to have that comfort of doing something that my father did,’ says the 57-year-old, as TV Times joins her for an exclusive chat. ‘What a wonderful job! What a lucky girl I am!’

Here, Abigail tells us more…

It sounds like you have loved portraying Dorothea!

When Endeavour started, I just thought I’d maybe play the sergeant on the front desk and get one line. So playing Dorothea has been an absolute joy. I’ll miss her humour, insightfulness and wryness – she’s very cool, and much cleverer than I am!

Have you had a favourite storyline during the series?

The one [in series four] where Dorothea was abducted and had to try to strangle her kidnapper and the car turned over. That was fun!