Van Der Valk finally returns to ITV with series 4 after baffling three year absence
Fancy a trip to Amsterdam?
Van Der Valk will return to ITV after a prolonged absence, which left fans wondering if it would ever be back with a series 4.
ITV are finally broadcasting the Marc Warren-led detective drama two years after it first aired in the US, back in September 2024.
It’s been a bewildering delay for fans, who were beginning to think the much-awaited episodes would never get a UK air date.
But now ITV has quietly slipped the series into the schedules, and it’s coming soon. Here’s everything we know about Van Der Valk series 4, including plot, cast, start date, and filming locations.
Is there a series 4 of Van Der Valk?
Yes, there’s a series 4 of Van Der Valk, and we’ve known of its existence for more than two years. However, it’s only just arriving on British TV after its US air date.
The series first aired in the US back in September 2024 on PBS Masterpiece. Why the delay in arriving in the UK? ITV are keeping schtum. However, they insist it will be worth the wait.
Co-writer Chris Murray said: “We are 100% sure that this is the best series of Van Der Valk we’ve done so far. Three strong, contrasting, resolving films flooded with our distinctive team dynamic. But, this time, with the added spice of Piet’s combative ex-girlfriend turning up at the same time as one of our team has to confront their own mortality.”
What’s the plot?
The return of Van Der Valk sees the Dutch detective and his team solving three more homicides in the city. In the first episode, Van Der Valk and his team investigate the death of a whistleblower under police protection prior to a court hearing. They must ensure that the second witness makes it to court. The situation is complicated by the fact that the protection officer in charge of the first victim is Kalie Tenkers, a former flame of Piet’s. Fair to say there is no love lost between the two… Which is not helped at all when he suggests she might have been involved in the killing…
In episode two, the team are called in when an environmental campaigner is murdered on the eve of a global conference. Several potential suspects are caught on CCTV, one of which would appear to be Cobie Stegenga, a famous singer who went missing and is now presumed dead. The world assumes she took her own life as a result of the stress of fame. Eddie Suleman, a former fan of hers, thinks differently.
And, in the series finale, a scientist researching a potential breakthrough in the treatment of cancer is found dead. And it looks very much like a professional kill. Van Der Valk and his team have to discover who killed him and why. They are also tasked with working out what the possible link is to pharmaceuticals billionaire, Freddie Klink. Realising that the research scientist has possibly hidden his breakthrough discovery, the team have to figure out where – and crack a cryptic code in order to retrieve it…
Who is in the cast?
Hustle and Mad Dogs actor Marc Warren reprises the titular role of dogged Commissaris Piet Van Der Valk in series 4 of crime drama Van Der Valk.
The detective is once again joined by Maimie McCoy as Inspector Lucienne Hassell, Sergeant Eddie Suleman played by Azan Ahmed, Darrell D’Silva as team pathologist Hendrik Davie, and Emma Fielding as Chief Commissaris Julia Dahlman.
Django Chan-Reeves is back as Citra Li in the core cast, having joined in series 3.
Guest stars this season include Emmerdale’s Jaye Griffiths in episode 2, and The Crow Girl’s Lu Corfield.
When is the start date?
Van Der Valk series 4 will start on Sunday, August 02, 2026 at 8pm on ITV1.
Episode 2 is set to air the week after, on Sunday, August 09, 2026, with the finale airing on August 16.
How many episodes is it?
The upcoming series is three feature-length films, of around two hours each (including ads). These are:
- Episode 1: Safe in Amsterdam.
- Episode 2: Hope in Amsterdam.
- Episode 3: Secrets in Amsterdam.
This follows the same pattern as the previous three series, which landed in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
Where is Van Der Valk filmed?
Cast and crew of Van Der Valk series 4 filmed entirely on location in and around Amsterdam in the Netherlands (formerly known as Holland).
The rebooted detective drama is filmed primarily on location in the Dutch capital. Production also set camp in the nearby cities of Utrecht, and The Hague.
Key recurring backdrops include the historic canal belts, Café Scheltema, and the main character’s boat, The Spartacus.
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