After three series of the haphazard Durrells running amok in the idyllic tranquil of Corfu, the family’s fourth outing is set to be their last.
Based on the autobiographical novels of the real-life Gerald Durrell, including an adaptation of his best-known work, My Family and Other Animals, the drama-comedy stars Keeley Hawes and explores the lives and loves of the family as they try to adapt to a life so very alien to the one they had in Britain.
But what can we expect in the new (and final) series of The Durrells? Here’s everything you need to know.
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When is The Durrells back on TV?
While series four’s airdate is yet to be officially confirmed by ITV, it is likely to be broadcast in spring 2019 as the last three series have aired in March and April.
A fourth series has been on the cards for quite some time, with Bafta-nominee Simon Nye expressing his desire to keep penning adventures for the family. “The viewing figures have been pretty good, and there’s been a lot of love for the show,” he previously told RadioTimes.com.
Who is in The Durrells series four?
The main cast are all tipped to return to the show, with Bodyguard star Keeley Hawes heading up the drama as Durrells matriarch Louisa.
She will be joined by Josh O’Connor, who plays oldest son Larry (and is due to play Prince Charles in the next series of The Crown), as well as Daisy Waterstone, who plays Margo.
Callum Woodhouse who plays Leslie Durrell, and Milo Parker, who plays cheeky Gerry Durrell, are also returning.
Taxi driver Spiros Halikiopoulos (played by Greek actor Alexis Georgoulis) will also be making an appearance.
What will happen in The Durrells series four?
While series three of the ITV drama was set in 1937, the fourth and final series will speed through the Durrells’ remaining time on the island and take us all the way to 1939 – and according to Keeley Hawes, things will get “dark” as the family’s idyllic life on Corfu is interrupted by the outbreak of World War Two.
“It gets a little bit dark for the Durrells, which has always been a light and lovely show,” Hawes told us at the Radio Times Covers Party. “The war is approaching, and they have to deal with that – as indeed the Durrells themselves did.”
In series three, romance finally bloomed between English widow Louisa Durrell and Greek taxi driver Spiro (Alexis Georgoulis) when the two admitted their feelings for each other. Alas, things soon went awry for these star-crossed lovers – and in series four we’ll see how their friendship survives.
“Spiro and Mrs Durrell, yeah – their friendship has to – well we’ll have to wait and see what happens at the end of the series,” Hawes teased.
She added: “And I think this series – I really think it’s the best yet. Everything was thrown at it because we knew it would be the last, so I’m really excited for everyone to see it.”
Where is The Durrells filmed?
Those picturesque shots of Corfu are not the work of clever set-pieces, with the popular series being partly filmed on the Greek Island.
The majority of filming takes place in a village named Danilia, a replica of a traditional 1930’s Corfu village.
When filming, the cast stay at the nearby Corfu Imperial Luxury Resort.
The show is also shot in the comparatively less glamorous Ealing Studios in London.
The Durrells returns to ITV in 2019
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