The much-anticipated fifth season of Luther will air over the Christmas season, the BBC has teased.

In a press release, the network has confirmed that the three year wait for new episodes is finally over, and that Idris Elba, 46, will be back as Detective Chief Inspector John Luther within the next few weeks.

'DCI John Luther is once more called to immerse himself in the deepest depths of human depravity in a new four-part series written by Neil Cross. Wunmi Mosaku joins as new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday,' the release reveals.

The return: The much-anticipated fifth season of Luther will air over the Christmas season, the BBC has teased

Describing the new threat of the season as ‘a nightmare risen out of the moonless shadows of London', the BBC has teased: 'While the monstrous and seemingly indiscriminate killings become ever more audacious and public, Luther and D.S. Catherine Halliday are confounded by a complex tangle of leads and misdirection that seems designed to protect an untouchable corruption.

'But even as the case brings him closer than ever to the true face of evil, a reluctant Luther is forced to confront the unburied demons of his own recent past.

'Striding back into the line of fire, he must choose who to protect and who to sacrifice.'

He's back: The three year wait for new episodes is finally over, and Idris Elba, 46, will be back as Detective Chief Inspector John Luther within the next few weeks

Plans for a fifth instalment were announced 18 months ago, and filming began earlier this year.

Idris' portrayal of the rough and ready, emotionally impulsive cop who breaks all the rules to get his man, has seen him scoop a Golden Globe and SAG award for the role.

After battling a cannibal serial killer in the last series - which aired in December 2015 - Luther was last seen walking through his London stomping ground and into an uncertain future in the multi-award winning series.

Many questions were left unanswered including what really happened to his friend/foe, sociopath Alice Morgan.

With John having to deal with the murder of his ex-wife Zoe and partner DS Justin Ripley along with the apparent loss of Alice it is unclear what fresh emotional torment the obsessive DCI will have to endure next.

Next up! Writer of the beloved crime drama Neil Cross revealed that Luther's unfinished business sealed the deal for him to bring the compulsive cop back

Unfinished business: Plans for a fifth instalment were announced 18 months ago, and filming began earlier this year

Writer of the beloved crime drama Neil Cross revealed that Luther's unfinished business sealed the deal for him to bring the compulsive cop back.

In a 2017 statement, he said: 'Now what? It’s a question Idris and I get asked a lot. What happened to John Luther after we last saw him striding unbowed through the streets of his city, his blood red London? It can’t be over, can it? There’s so much we don’t know. So much unfinished business.

'The thing is, we’ve been asking ourselves the same question. Because we love John and wonder what he’s up to. And as for me, I’m scared of the monsters.

Relief: The news of Luther's return will no doubt come as a welcome relief to fans of the thriller series, who said the 2015 two episode special wasn't enough for them and begged for more

Threat: The BBC describes the new threat of the season as ‘a nightmare risen out of the moonless shadows of London'

'The face at the window. The hand under the bed. The shadow at the end of the street. Who’s going to stop them, if not John Luther?

'In the end, we picked up the phone to some old friends and asked if they’d like to find out what happens next. It turns out, they would. So that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to find out what happens next. Now what? Luther’s coming back. That’s what.'

Adding to the excitement, Idris continued: 'Neil, the BBC and I have been talking about a further season and I am thrilled that we have been able to bring it all together. I look forward to putting the coat back on.'

Welcome back! 'DCI John Luther is once more called to immerse himself in the deepest depths of human depravity in a new four-part series written by Neil Cross. Wunmi Mosaku joins as new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday,' the release reveals

The news of Luther's return will no doubt come as a welcome relief to fans of the thriller series, who said the 2015 two episode special wasn't enough for them and begged for more.

Piers Wenger, BBC Drama controller, said: 'Luther is one of BBC One’s most iconic dramas and we’re thrilled that Idris Elba is reprising his role as John Luther. Neil Cross’ plans for his return promise some big surprises and what will turn out to be an utterly heart stopping and unmissable fifth series.'

Hilary Salmon, BBC Studios Executive Producer, added: 'We are tremendously proud to be bringing Neil Cross’s iconic show Luther back to BBC1. The return of John Luther always feels like an event but this time we will be pulling out all the stops to make the show bigger, bolder and of course more scary than ever.'