Tom Durant Pritchard as Alexander Blake and Kate Phillips as Eliza Scarlet in 'Miss Scarlett'.
Saver Zolk; Miss Scarlet Limited and MasterpieceSeason 5's Miss Scarlett All about change, but newcomers Tom Durant-Pritchard Just as we're rooting for Eliza Scarlet to find her happily ever after.
“We all need love, you know what I mean?” Durant-Pritchard, 37, said exclusively our weekly Controversy over whether his character is new or not during the game Inspector Alexander Blake of Scotland YardThe private investigator will be a new love interest for Eliza (Kate Phillips)
Substitute actor Stuart Martinof Inspector William Wellington aka The Duke in the upcoming season of the PBS masterpiece mystery show, which premieres Sunday, January 12. (Early streaming release began on December 8, 2024 on the PBS App and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video channel.)
Unlike William, who was in love with Eliza for years before taking a job in New York City at the end of season 4, Blake doesn't like private investigators. According to Durant-Pritchard, that distaste for Eliza's profession may have been short-lived.
Duke is no longer part of the Miss Scarlet cast, courtesy of Miss Scarlet Limited and Masterpiece, but newcomer Tom Durant-Pritchard is hopeful his character, Inspector Alexander Blake, can fill the void. “Why should the fans give him a chance? I think for a number of reasons,” Durant-Pritchard, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly about her (…)
“Blake doesn't want a PI working with Scotland Yard, but there's a classic thing about Miss Scarlett that you can't deny that she's very good at her job,” he said. our. “And Blake is a sensible man and can appreciate the fact that as much as he doesn't want Mrs. Scarlett involved in any way, it's too good to ignore her.”
“So please let him participate,” she teased.
When the two butt heads right out of the gate — during the premiere they cross paths in a complicated case involving stolen property — Durant-Pritchard explained that they have a few things in common that could bond them.
“She has her own heartbreak that's different from Miss Scarlett's,” the Season 5 star shared. “But they find each other when they are in their company. They need each other in a way.”
Durant-Pritchard noted that she was “reluctant” when Blake and Eliza first came to town but that changed as the season progressed.
“You see a kind of friendship building. There is something between them as much as neither of them want it to happen,” he teased. “There's a relationship building.”
Durant-Pritchard explained that although Eliza wants a clean break from William — fans will see how The two officially part ways during the season 5 premiere – Healing from heartbreak is “never easy.”
The English actor revealed that Eliza's feelings from season 4 “will feed into what happens in season 5.” As for how he'll connect with Blake and work his way into more cases, Durant-Pritchard said it will come down to proving himself at work.
Kate Phillips as Eliza Scarlett in 'Miss Scarlett'.
Saver Zolk; Miss Scarlet Limited and Masterpiece“There are some great cases that are quite big that require a lot of mental energy,” he shared. “And the bond that Blake and Mrs. Scarlet must form to solve these cases, let the past be in the past, and they must build their own relationships and futures within themselves.”
Durant-Pritchard was somewhat tight-lipped about whether Blake and Eliza's dynamic will turn romantic — but she didn't completely rule it out.
“You would expect that two, single people in heartbreak, would go about their business as best they could,” he said. our. “And as much as they don't want to spend time with each other as the season progresses, they get to spend more time together and get to know each other better as time goes on.”
While Blake and Eliza got off to a rocky start, Durant-Pritchard had an easier time hooking up with the show's leading lady.
“Kate's a great actor, and she's a great person. It's so easy to just hang out and do it,” she says of Phillips, 35. Hugh Grant For years.”
Courtesy of MASTERPIECE The Season 5 premiere of Miss Scarlet ushered in a new era for the show — and while The Duke didn't return, fans got answers about his whereabouts. During Season 4 of Miss Scarlet and the Duke (now Miss Scarlet), Inspector William Wellington aka The Duke (Stuart Martin) claimed (…)
Durant-Pritchard revealed that she and Phillips connected over their love of movies and spent a lot of time getting to know each other's tics. (Durant-Pritchard was selected Four marriages and one fanural and “all Bridget Jones” as his favorite rom-com.)
“We talked, I think, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, and we spent every second together,” he recalls. “We just got along so well that it was so easy on set.”
As fans prepare for the new dynamic in season 5 Miss ScarlettDurant-Pritchard gave our His vision for Season 6 — assuming Blake sticks around.
“I want to see how his relationship with Ms. Scarlett progresses over time,” he said, hinting that he too is finding team Eliza love. “It's a boon to see if they can maintain some sort of working relationship and then whatever else happens, I guess.”
Season 5's Miss Scarlett Masterpiece Mystery premieres Sunday, January 12, at 8pm ET on PBS.