Writer and creator Anthony Horowitz based the character of Sam Stewart on his childhood nanny and governess Norah Fitzgerald, who had been a WAAF driver during World War II, and used to tell Horowitz stories of her wartime experiences and exploits.
Looking for a replacement for its successful Inspector Morse (1987) series, ITV solicited ideas and picked Foyle's War (2002) out of 300 submissions.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle was voted as the nation's favorite detective in 2011.
To the considerable mystification and annoyance of Anthony Horowitz (writer) and the cast, Simon Shaps, former Director of Television for ITV, who only stayed in the job for eighteen months, announced in 2007 that he would kill off this well-respected and lucrative series after making one final season of episodes. Horowitz had to abandon several scripts for episodes set in 1944, and jump forwards to episodes covering the end of the war in 1945. However in February 2009 it was announced that this decision had been reversed now Shaps had left his TV executive role, and three more episodes would be filmed. The Russian House (2010), set in peace-time, was the first of these episodes.
During the war Hastings survived 85 air attacks, 14 small bombs, 12 oil incendiaries, 750 incendiaries, and 15 flying bombs. This resulted in the loss of 154 lives, with 260 serious injuries and 439 minor injuries.763 structures were destroyed and 14,818 properties were damaged.