OXFORD’S most dogged detective inspector, Robbie Lewis, will be launching new investigations after ITV bosses agreed a fifth series of the popular drama.

ITV Drama’s commissioning team confirmed yesterday there would be a new series of the hit drama Lewis, with Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox.

Tourism managers in the city last night welcomed the news.

Colin Cook, executive member for city development and tourism, said: “Thousands of tourists have come to the city as a result of watching Inspector Morse and Lewis over the years and spent their money here.

“Lewis shows the city at its best and the dramas are then shown in countries around the world.”

Following the success of series four this spring, four new episodes of the drama will go into production this month, and will be shown early next year.

Viewing figures for the last series peaked at nine million, the highest for an ITV1 drama series so far this year.

Oxford author Colin Dexter who wrote the Inspector Morse novels on which the dramas are based, will work as a consultant and expects to get his usual cameo role.