-
Grantchester
ITV has commissioned a new six-part crime drama series.
Grantchester is adapted from the novel Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death - the first of a projected six-book series titled The Grantchester Mysteries by author James Runcie.
Set in 1953 in the real hamlet of Grantchester in Cambridgeshire, the series focuses on the life of vicar Sidney Chambers, who teams up with Police Inspector Geordie Keating to investigate the suspicious death of one of his parishioners.
Sidney is described as "a tall and handsome man with a love of warm beer and hot jazz" who is "self-effacing, great company and a true romantic", while his cop partner is "a man two inches shorter than he'd like to be, with scuffed shoes and hair not as familiar with a comb as it should be".
Viewers will see the pair's unlikely partnership develop into a friendship, as well as learning of Sidney's doomed relationship with beautiful heiress Amanda Kendall, whose father is pushing her to marry an aristocratic beau.
Written by Daisy Coulam, the series will be produced by Lovely Day with the company's managing director and former EastEnders producer Diederick Santer executive producing.
Santer said: "James Runcie has created this brilliant character [Sidney] and this glorious world, which Daisy Coulam is now bringing to the screen in her wonderful and lavish scripts, and I can't wait for ITV's audience to get to know him too."
The cast is expected to be announced next year, with filming taking place between March and June around London, Cambridge and Grantchester.
I have read James Runcie books and enjoyed them :)
-
Grantchester
Robson Green will play a gruff, overworked policeman in ITV's new period crime drama Grantchester.
The series, set in the titular Cambridgeshire village in 1953, centres on intuitive, jazz-loving young vicar Sidney Chambers, played by Death Comes to Pemberley's James Norton, who strikes up a strong bond with Robson's methodical Inspector Geordie Keating as he assists the police officer in uncovering the truth behind the suspicious death of one of his parishioners.
The six-part series is adapted from a novel by Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death, by James Runcie, the son of ex-Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie, and also stars former EastEnders actress Kacey Ainsworth as Geordie's wife Cathy, who is the mother of their three children and is expecting her fourth.
Meanwhile, Morven Christie, who recently appeared in Death in Paradise, plays heiress Amanda Kendall who is in love with Sidney but whose father wants her to marry an aristocrat, while Only Fools and Horses' Tessa Peake-Jones co-stars as Sidney's doting housekeeper Mrs Maguire.
“Sidney is a charming, but complex character, a man of faith burdened by his past despite a distinguished wartime record, he’s funny, dashing and inquisitive," says Grantchester's executive producer Diederick Santer. "He loves being a parish priest in the exquisite village of Grantchester, but somehow it’s not enough and he still finds time to fall in and out of love and solve crimes.
"James Runcie has created this brilliant character and this glorious world, which Daisy Coulam is now bringing to the screen in her wonderful and lavish scripts, and I can’t wait for ITV’s audience to get to know him too.”
-
Week 14 - tbc
Series overview
“As a priest, isn’t everything our business? There’s no part of the human heart which is not our responsibility” – Sidney Chambers
James Norton (Happy Valley, Death Comes to Pemberley) plays the role of Sidney Chambers in new six- part drama Grantchester produced by Lovely Day in association with Masterpiece.
Robson Green (Reckless, Wire In The Blood) joins him as plain speaking, over-worked Police Inspector, Geordie Keating.
Set in 1953 in the beautiful county of Cambridgeshire, Sidney’s unlikely partnership with gruff, down to earth Geordie is central to Grantchester. Geordie’s methodical approach to policing complements Sidney’s more intuitive techniques of coaxing information from witnesses and suspects.
They are partners in crime and forge a true friendship as each offers a different insight into the crimes they begin to unravel.
Morven Christie (Hunted, Twenty Twelve) plays beautiful heiress Amanda Kendall, whose love for Sidney, although reciprocated, doesn’t have a future, as her father wants her to marry an aristocratic beau.
Tessa Peake-Jones (Marchlands and of course Raquel in Only Fools and Horses) plays Sidney’s housekeeper, the indomitable Mrs Maguire who keeps him in check and does her best to keep his chaotic vicarage presentable and respectable. He also has gorgeous black Labrador puppy, Dickens, for company.
Kacey Ainsworth (EastEnders, Holby Blue) plays Geordie’s loving wife Cathy. Cathy is a busy mother of three with a fourth child on the way.
Sidney’s moustachioed curate, Leonard Finch, is played by Al Weaver (Southcliffe, Secret State), whilst pale, interesting and stunning widow, Hildegard Staunton, is played by German actress Pheline Roggan.
Episode one
It’s 1953, and just outside the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester, local vicar Sidney Chambers (James Norton) has lost track of time, having spent a glorious morning with his fun loving friend, and the woman with whom he is secretly in love, Amanda Kendall (Morvern Christie). Racing to church, Sidney arrives just in time to minister at the funeral of a local solicitor - although his poor time-keeping earns the disapproval of his punctilious housekeeper Mrs Maguire (Tessa Peake-Jones).
With the death a suicide, Sidney does his best to comfort young German widow Hildegard Staunton (Pheline Roggan), but is soon called away from his normal duties when the glamorous Pamela Morton (Rachel Shelley) asks to draw Sidney into her confidence. She reveals that she was having an affair with the late solicitor – and that far from being a suicide, she has reasons to believe that he was in fact murdered.
With Pamela unable to go to the police, she asks Sidney if he would be able to look into the matter for her – after all, people confide in vicars, don’t they? However, Sidney’s investigation quickly draws him to the attention of grumpy local DI Geordie Keating (Robson Green), who doesn’t really appreciate the clergyman sticking his nose into things he doesn’t understand. But Sidney isn’t to be shaken off too easily – particularly when he begins to uncover evidence that the suicide was staged.
However, whilst Sidney is focused on getting to the bottom of the alleged murder, his own world is shaken apart when he receives news that Amanda has got engaged – it seems that Sidney has missed his moment. With his heart breaking, and his theory about the murder seemingly coming up short, will Sidney be able to work out who killed the solicitor before the killer strikes again?
-
-
-
-
ITV’s new crime drama Grantchester will premiere on Monday October 6th at 9pm, it has been announced.
Grantchester follows Sidney Chambers, a charismatic, charming clergyman who turns investigative vicar when one of his parishioners dies in suspicious circumstances. His partner in crime is over-worked Police Inspector, Geordie Keating. Geordie speaks plainly and his down to earth approach to policing complements Sidney’s more gentle technique of coaxing information from witnesses and suspects. Their unlikely partnership becomes a true friendship as each offers a different insight into the crimes they begin to unravel.
The period piece stars James Norton (Death Comes To Pemberley) as Sidney Chambers; Robson Green (Strike Back) as Police Inspector Geordie Keating; Morven Christie (Hunted) as Amanda Kendall; Tessa Peake-Jones (Legacy) as Mrs Maguire; Kacey Ainsworth (EastEnders) as Cathy; Al Weaver (Secret State) as Leonard Finch; and Pheline Roggan as Hildegard Staunton.
Based on the James Runcie novel Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death, Grantchester was adapted by Daisy Coulam and is being produced by the Shine owned indie Lovely Day. Diederick Santer, Managing Director and founder of Lovely Day, serves as the executive producer; while Harry Bradbeer directed. The drama recently wrapped production in London, Cambridge & Grantchester and is slated to air on ITV later this year.
-
13th October
Episode two
Sidney tries and fails to resist when he is pressured by his sister Jen (Fiona Button) into attending Amanda’s engagement dinner – he hates making small talk with the upper classes. Not only that, but he knows that Amanda’s rich and irritatingly handsome fiancée Guy (Tom Austen) will be in attendance. As Sidney tries to cope with the evening by sinking one too many drinks, old tensions run high between the school friends of Amanda and Jen. But the evening really erupts when Amanda’s engagement ring goes missing – and Jen’s boyfriend Johnny (Ukweli Roach) is accused of stealing it.
With tensions still simmering, Sidney is called by Geordie in the early morning with terrible news – one of the guests at the dinner party has been found dead, and this time he’s certain it’s murder. With everyone in shock, Sidney carefully assists Geordie in
interviewing everyone about the night before – and it becomes clear that the fingers of suspicion are pointing firmly at Johnny. And when evidence comes to light that seems to confirm Johnny as the killer, it would seem that it’s cased closed for Geordie and Sidney.
However, with Sidney believing that Johnny is innocent, he begins to work on a different theory – and also finds that he will need the help of nervous new curate Leonard (Al Weaver) to unmask the true killer. Not only that, but he will also need to find the one thing he would rather stayed lost – Amanda’s missing engagement ring.
-
20th October
Episode three
After Guy and Amanda ask Sidney to perform their wedding ceremony, the heartbroken vicar takes solace in a bottle. When Mrs Maguire points out he is failing in his duties to his parish, Sidney vows to take a break from drinking and assisting in criminal investigations. Concentrating on his clerical duties, he helps Leonard as he moves into the vicarage, and agrees to help parishioner Isabel (Lucy Black) as she prepares for her upcoming wedding to new man in town, Arthur (Kieran O’Brien). But Isabel’s stubborn mother, Daisy (Jean Marsh), is proving to be a big impediment to their wedding – mostly because she believes that Arthur is out to kill her.
Sidney just wants to see the best in people, but when Daisy is found dead, Mrs Maguire, believing Arthur to be a ‘rotten apple’, goes behind his back and calls in Geordie to investigate. Sidney finds himself reluctantly being dragged into the investigation. Whilst Daisy’s death seems to be due to natural causes, it seems all the more suspicious that Arthur and Isabel are pushing for a fast cremation of the body. What is it that they don’t want to be discovered?
Things take a darker turn when Daisy’s sister Gladys (Isla Blair) is also found dead – and this time, from a suspected poisoning. With secrets about Arthur’s past beginning to come to light, and with a mysterious stranger stalking the town, it’s up to Sidney to try and work out whether or not these deaths are connected, and in so doing, potentially stop any further killings. And all this, without even being able to go down to the pub for a pint.
Mark Bonnar guest stars at Dr Robinson.
-
27th October
Episode four
Sidney is awoken in the early hours by a fire in the village. Putting his own life on the line, Sidney drags the dazed Marion Taylor (Flora Montgomery) free from the burning house, much to the relief of her husband Dominic (Lee Williams). But there’s a mystery around the fire – was it really an accident, or was it started deliberately? And why was Marion so reluctant to leave the house? Normally Sidney would turn to Geordie when there was a mystery like this to be solved, but Sidney finds that the detective is far from his normal self – distracted and detached.
When Dominic Taylor is found stabbed, Sidney is surprised to find that it’s Geordie’s junior, Atkins (Joe Claflin), that will be heading up the case – and he’s not exactly a fan of interfering vicars. When Sidney attempts to take his concerns to Geordie, he makes an awful discovery – Geordie’s baby son is gravely ill. Rather than take some time off however, Geordie relishes the opportunity to take his mind off things with a good investigation – but Sidney worries that Geordie’s increasingly erratic behaviour means that his thoughts are actually far from the job in hand.
Sidney’s life is further complicated when glamorous widow Hildegard Staunton returns to Cambridge – and Sidney realises that his feelings for her might be growing. Leonard’s personal life is also complicated when the murder investigation takes a turn that hits close to home for the young curate. When Sidney finds himself at loggerheads with his best friend Geordie, he makes an error of judgment that has serious repercussions for some of his parishioners. Will he be able to make amends for what he has done? And will his falling out with Geordie lead to the wrong man being convicted for murder?
