Father Brown season 12: Release date and latest news
The beloved BBC drama is back for more!
Cosy crime drama Father Brown is back for its incredible 12th season, with a 13th already confirmed to be coming next year too.
The new season sees Mark Williams reprise his role as the crime-solving priest, while the rest of the central cast from the past couple of seasons are also back, including Claudie Blakley and Tom Chambers.
The series has undergone numerous cast switch-ups over the years, with the biggest changeover year being for season 10, which long-running star John Burton has admitted "worried" him.
Speaking with RadioTimes.com and other press on set for season 12, Burton said Williams reassured his worries when they went out to lunch.
He said: "I was a bit concerned, I was really worried. And he said, 'No, the show needs a new breath of fresh air, and it will breathe new life into the show.' And he was absolutely right, because they are fabulous.
"We miss the old cast, obviously, but the new cast came in, they hit the ground running, and they're a joy, an absolute joy. And it has made it a different feel, a different vibe, and it probably needed that."
As with previous runs, this new season will feature a different crime in each episode - but what can fans expect from season 12, and when is it set to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer?
Read on for everything you need to know about Father Brown season 12.
Father Brown season 12 release date
It's official – we now know that Father Brown season 12 will debut on BBC One at 2pm on Friday 10th January, with episodes continuing to air weekly from that point on.
Meanwhile, the season will also become available to stream in full on BBC iPlayer on 10th January.
Father Brown season 12 cast
All of the central cast from Father Brown season 11 will be back for season 12, including Mark Williams, John Burton, Ruby-May Martinwood and, of course, Tom Chambers and Claudie Blakley, after their characters Inspector Sullivan and Mrs Devine got engaged in the season 11 finale.
Meanwhile, there are as usual a host of guest stars set to appear across the new episodes, including the likes of Denis Lawson, Simon Day, Colin McFarlane, Angela Rippon, Anita Dobson, Felicity Montagu and more.
The list of the central characters returning for Father Brown season 12 includes:
- Mark Williams as Father Brown
- Claudie Blakley as Mrs Devine
- Tom Chambers as Inspector Sullivan
- John Burton as Sergeant Goodfellow
- Ruby-May Martinwood as Brenda Palmer
- Nancy Carroll as Lady Felicia Montague
- John Light as Monsieur Hercule Flambeau
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What will Father Brown season 12 be about?
The official synopsis for Father Brown season 12 says: "Following the exciting proposal at the end of series 11, the sleepy village of Kembleford is abuzz with good news as Mrs Devine (Claudie Blakley) and Chief Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers) look forward to their upcoming wedding.
"But when a surprise visit from the father of the groom quickly throws preparations into turmoil, will they even make it to the church?
With a medieval death at a Tudor battle re-enactment, Mrs Devine finding herself accused of murder, Sergeant Goodfellow’s professional future thrown into question and Brenda ballroom dancing on national television, Father Brown and the gang are busier than ever.
"And when a Cardinal from the Vatican arrives with a top-secret mission for Father Brown, the priest must request the help of his old adversary Flambeau, while a new nemesis lurks in the shadows…"
Brenda star Ruby-May Martinwood previously told RadioTimes.com and other press of this new season: "I think what they're doing for the first time ever, really, is they're following on episode storylines, so there's a through line now, which hasn't really happened before.
"Obviously with Miss D and the inspector, and Eddie and Brenda, there’s a bit of a follow-through line now, which I think is great because it keeps people hooked."
Father Brown returns on Friday 10th January at 2pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
