ITV's Grantchester kicked off its fourth series tonight (January 11), but this latest run is going to shake things up as the religious crime-solver Sidney Chambers (James Norton) is leaving.
Conveniently, there's a new vicar with a proactive attitude towards dealing with wrongdoers (who we're sure will find ways to lose his clothing) in Will Davenport, played by Tom Brittney.
Sidney didn't exit in tonight's episode, so Will hasn't taken over as Geordie Keating's (Robson Green) partner in crime-solving just yet, but viewers still saw enough of him to think he will make a worthy leading man:
The episode itself also dealt with some heavy themes, as a black American preacher and his family came to visit. A murder not only led to the mystery of who committed the crime, but also exposed the racism within the seemingly idyllic community.
Although a bit hard-hitting for a Friday night, viewers generally appreciated the show tackling the important topic:
The show's new vicar, or rather the actor playing him, spoke to Digital Spy and other outlets ahead of the new series' premiere, and talked about the pressure of taking over from James Norton.
"Of course, it was daunting," Brittney admitted. "You know, the good thing is, life imitates art in the show, because Will is new to it. So my own hesitations and fears could be put into the character, of stepping up to the plate as this new vicar, and me stepping up to the plate as this new actor."
Grantchester airs Friday nights on ITV at 9pm.
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Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer and resident Welsh person at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016.
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