Endeavour star looks VERY different 13 years on from his debut on ITV detective drama with beard and cropped hair - but do you recognise him?

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

A British actor best known for his role in the detective drama Endeavour has been spotted filming for another project - but he looks very different with a rugged beard and cropped hair.
Whereas fans know him as a fresh-faced inspector with tousled locks, he now steps out with a coarser look, sporting an all-black ensemble and moody sunglasses.
He made his first ITV appearance in 2012, and starred in the very well received Endeavour for an impressive nine seasons before its conclusion in 2023.
The 45-year-old is set to star in the upcoming ITV spy thriller Betrayal, where he plays a troubled MI5 officer named John Hughes.
The four-part series explores the 'emotional and professional strain of modern intelligence work, particularly on relationships' as John's covert operations and personal life begin to unravel.
But can you guess who it is?
The actor is none other than Liverpool-born Shaun Evans, who played Endeavour Morse in the titular ITV drama.
The father-of-two was pictured filming in Rusholme, Manchester, looking worlds away from his days as the sullen but charming Endeavour.
In a black puffer jacket and straight-leg jeans, Shaun was captured grinning on set alongside crew members.
Betrayal will see Shaun play a spy who was at the forefront of the war on terror. Now in his mid 40s and married with two kids, he's finding it difficult to adapt to modern security threats.
But when he impulsively gets himself involved in a dark scheme, he'll have to redeem himself to save his career and reputation - all while struggling with the mental health effects of his murderous actions.
Shaun has also played Coxswain Elliot Glover in BBC One's Vigil, and real-life murderer John Sweeney in ITV's Until I Kill You.
This summer is ramping up to be an exciting one in British TV, with new dramas and reiterations of popular pre-existing series set to hit screens in the coming months.
Line of Duty is one beloved programme that is 'definitely coming back' for a seventh season, according to a lead actor in the hit BBC drama.
Northern Irish actor Adrian Dunbar, who played Superintendent Ted Hastings in the show, confirmed the much-loved series will be returning to UK screens.
Fans have been begging for another installment for years, and Adrian has previously hinted at another run, but now he has spoken more definitively.
'Oh, it's definitely coming back,' the 66-year-old told the Sunday Telegraph. 'Some time next year. We're just waiting for the BBC to announce it.'
He continued: 'I know Jed [Mercurio] is writing. And Martin and Vicky [Compston and McClure, who play Hastings's anti-corruption colleagues, Steve and Kate] are very keen.'
And in a separate interview with The Times, the Enniskillen native said: 'We're really excited about getting our hands on a Line of Duty script, to see what happens to us.
'We've talked to the BBC. It is down to the BBC to make an announcement, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that next year we'll be working on a new series.
'No doubt Jed will think of some interesting twists and turns. We are as much in the dark as you are.'
Adrian suggested that viewers were drawn to the series, and to his straight-laced character in particular, owing to a time of political instability during Covid.
When the news of Partygate erupted - the political scandal that saw Tories dancing and drinking during a state-imposed lockdown - Adrian believes fans sought solace in Ted Hastings.
He told the Belfast Telegraph: 'When the Tories were dancing and having parties, people saw Line of Duty and thought "Surely somewhere there are people who, despite what it might mean to their careers, are willing to do the right thing?"
'I think that's why so many people gravitated towards Ted.'
According to The Sun, the cast will start filming the new six-part installment next January when their other commitments have come to a close.
A TV insider told the publication: 'This is the news Line of Duty fans have been waiting for since the sixth season left them deflated when it aired back in 2021.
'The BBC almost immediately requested more episodes to continue the story, but the success of the show meant Vicky, Martin and Adrian were instantly snapped up for other projects.'