Endeavour viewers are VERY relieved that one particular character made it through the series finale

Season five of ITV’s Endeavour concluded  with a death and a massive shake-up – but fans were mostly relieved to see that their favourite character was still alive and kicking as the credits rolled, assuaging their fears.

*Spoilers for Endeavour season 5 episode 6 follow*

The episode saw the shock death of Lewis Peek’s DC George Fancy, a character introduced this year who was apparently caught in the crossfire of a gang war in the latter half of the story. After his death, Cowley police station was shuttered and the team found themselves headed to separate postings, with WPC Trewlove (Dakota Blue Richards) off to pastures new and DCI Fred Thursday (Roger Allam) forced to delay his retirement.

• What’s next for Endeavour after that shocking finale?
• Endeavour will return for series 6
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Throughout the broadcast on Sunday night, fans were terrified that Thursday wouldn’t make it. There was a close call – he was nearly hit by a stray bullet – and many fans took to Twitter to voice their concerns during the broadcast.

There was the initial creeping fear:

I have a horrible feeling Fred's not going to make it to retirement… #endeavour

— Linz (@eighth__doctor) March 11, 2018

Good writing and good acting make Fred Thursday a good character. Hope he survives the episode. #ENDEAVOUR

— Paul Emanuelli (@UnpubWrites) March 11, 2018

I don’t think Fred Thursday will retire tonight… he’ll either keep working because he gave his brother all that money or he will be killed. I’m hoping for option 1 #Endeavour

— aoife doyle (@aoifedoyle98) March 11, 2018

There is still 40 mins to go, I'm not stopping my Fred worry until at least 5 past 10 #endeavour

— Steve George (@SteveGeorge71) March 11, 2018

I get the Fred fear from the mid point of every season because we all know the old boy's not going to quietly retire. #Endeavour https://t.co/XwxX6fj53R

— Mags L Halliday (@magslhalliday) March 11, 2018

This is intolerable. For a second I thought he might have shot Fred by mistake. Morse, you must keep Thursday safe at all costs #Endeavour

— Rick J Barry (@IrishBlackbird) March 11, 2018

Which was followed by sweet relief:

Thank god Fred is ok! #Endeavour

— June Taylor (@juneandnoz) March 11, 2018

Fred Thursday lives to fight another day. Carry on coppering old boy. #Endeavour pic.twitter.com/zf33wLP9q0

— SirBrianCannonHunter (@TheCannonHunter) March 11, 2018

FRED LIVES!!! ???????????????? #Endeavour

— Rachel Law (@crimcounsel) March 11, 2018

So happy that Fred Thursday survived though, don't think I could have taken that loss as well. #Endeavour

— Lauren (@Cherish4) March 11, 2018

@ScriptULike We can't even watch Series 5 of #Endeavour in Canada yet but I'm reading UK tweets frantically just to make sure Fred Thursday's alright. That's how much this show means to us. #stressed ?Love to Team Endeavour.

— However (@However) March 11, 2018

#Endeavour Poor Win but at least we get more Fred! As well as If there were shades of Unman, Wittering & Zigo and Go-Between, plus Posh/Riot. Were we told who was putting clues in Morse’s desk?

— Ros Jones (@rosjones25) March 12, 2018

Can't believe that's Series 4 @EndeavourTV finished already! ?Gutted! I guess all good things come to an end… Great drama, great acting, great characters… Think I'm in love with Fred Thursday!! ?Looking forward to more? #Endeavour https://t.co/7smIvZSv5K

— Ruth Rathband (@ruthrathband) March 12, 2018

At the end of the broadcast on Sunday night, ITV announced that the show will be returning for a sixth season. And executive producer Damien Timmer told RadioTimes.com that the hunt for whoever killed George Fancy will form a part of the next series.

Endeavour series six is expected to air on ITV in 2019