Lead actor Tom Brittney has announced that the upcoming ninth season of the Masterpiece/ITV drama Grantchester will be his last.
Brittany has played Reverend Will Davenport on the crime series since 2019 and is stepping back to focus on new projects. Grantchester follows Detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green) and the motorcycle riding vicar Will (Brittney) as they investigate murders in the Cambridgeshire village.
The drama has cast Rishi Nair (Hollyoaks, Count Abdulla) as a charismatic new vicar named Alphy Kotteram. Filming is already underway on the ninth season; the eighth kicked off Sunday, July 9, on Masterpiece.
“I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years,” Brittney said in a statement. “I got to solve crimes with my best friend, and work with the best cast and crew I could ever ask for. I’ll miss it more than anything. But it’s time for the baton to be passed, as it once was to me, and I’m so excited for Rishi to join the Grantchester family.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Grantchester,” continued Nair in a statement. “The welcome and support I’ve received from everyone has been overwhelming. The success of the show and the reason we are here for a ninth season is a testament to all the people that have previously worked on it. I’m really excited to get started and cannot wait for the Grantchester fans to meet Alphy and to see all that’s in store for him.”
“I feel so blessed to be embarking once again on this thrilling journey with the beloved series, Grantchester,” said Green. “The anticipation is palpable however, amid the exhilaration, a tinge of sadness lingers for all of us as we are bidding farewell to my close friend and remarkable actor Tom
Brittney, whose portrayal of the charismatic Will Davenport will be sorely missed. Yet, we are all delighted in welcoming the incredibly talented Rishi Nair to the Grantchester family! With his exceptional skills and magnetic presence, I have no doubt that Rishi will be captivating the hearts of millions not only in the UK but also across the globe.”
Adapted from the Grantchester Mysteries novels by James Runcie, the series was developed for television by Daisy Coulam. Other cast members include Charlotte Ritchie as Bonnie, Al Weaver as Leonard Finch, Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs. C, Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating, Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe, Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman, Bradley Hall as DC Larry Peters and Melissa Johns as Miss Scott.
The ninth season will be executive produced for Kudos (part of Banijay UK) by Emma Kingsman-Lloyd
(SAS Rogue Heroes, Deadwater Fell), writer and series creator Daisy Coulam (Deadwater Fell,
Humans), Robson Green and Tom Brittney. The Executive Producers for Masterpiece are
Susanne Simpson and Rebecca Eaton at GBH Boston.
Grantchester is a Co-Production of Kudos and Masterpiece for ITV. It airs on Masterpiece on PBS in the U.S. and on ITV1 and ITVX in the U.K.