At long last, the BBC has confirmed that Shakespeare & Hathaway will return for a 5th series. Filming is currently underway in Stratford-upon-Avon with Jo Joyner, Mark Benton and Patrick Walshe McBride reprising their roles as Luella, a.k.a. Lu, Shakespeare, Frank Hathaway and Sebastian Brudenell.

Expressing what can easily be categorized as youthful exhuberance, the cast seemed genuinely excited about getting the Shakespeare & Hathaway band back together after three years.

Jo Joyner says: “I’m so excited to be stepping back into Luella’s bright and fluffy shoes! We have such loyal and brilliant fans who have been asking us daily if we’ll ever be back, so it’s wonderful to finally be able to say yes! I can’t wait to see Lu, Frank and Sebastian cracking more countryside crimes whilst squabbling fondly in Series 5.“

Mark Benton comments: “I’m so thrilled to be making the show again. The reaction was phenomenal and hopefully series five will be even better. I can’t wait.“

Patrick Walshe McBride adds: “I’m so excited to be back filming Shakespeare & Hathaway. We have so much fun making the show and we put a lot of love into it. I hope viewers will be interested to find out what the characters have been up to over the last couple of years, and will enjoy accompanying us in a new season of murder and merriment. Anyone for Earl Grey?“

Since it’s been almost three years since series 4 transmitted, we bring you…..

Shakespeare & Hathaway 101

Unfortunately for Frank Hathaway (Mark Benton), the concept of going through life out of shape and low on cash is no way to run a business. As the premiere of series one unfolded, ex-hair dresser/people-person Lu Shakespeare (Jo Joyner) hired Frank, the hard-boiled, ex-cop, to spy on her fiancé, whom she thought was having an affair. Fortunately for Lu, it turned out her soon-to-be husband was not cheating on her. The bad news, however, is that he’s not who she thinks he is, and he ends up murdered about an hour after the “I do’s.”

The two joined forces forming an unlikely detective duo in Stratford-upon-Avon, where a fair high number of low-life criminals seem to go and, as they say in showbiz, the rest is history…for at least a fifth series anyway.

Look for the 5th series of Shakespeare & Hathaway to transmit as part of the BBC’s popular daytime schedule in 2025 and then, hopefully, coming to a public television station near you in the not-too-distant future.