Grantchester season 9 cast: Meet the characters in ITV drama
Everything you need to know about the cast of Grantchester.
ITV drama Grantchester returns to UK screens for its 9th season and in very sad news, it is Tom Brittney's final outing as Will Davenport.
The vicar is offered an exciting new opportunity and after some deliberation, he decides to take a leap of faith and say "yes".
Brittney, who first appeared in the ITV drama in 2019, described leaving as "the hardest decision" of his life.
"I’ve spent five or six years – and the happiest years of my career so far – doing Grantchester and playing a character which just has so much depth and complexity," he told RadioTimes.com and other press. "It was just a happy place.
"But I think all good things have to come to an end, and it just felt like the right time to put a full stop, let's say, on Will's story and see where they took the story without him.
"Will had such a passionate and fiery start, and I think you saw him go through everything and come to a reasonably happy ending, as sad as it was to leave. But I think he left in peace, and that felt like a good place to end it."
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But Brittney isn't departing straight away, which means viewers will still get to enjoy his dynamic with Robson Green's Geordie Keating.
And of course there's an exciting new addition to the cast: Rishi Nair as Alphy Kotteram, who you can read all about below in our guide to the cast and characters in Grantchester.
Grantchester season 9 cast
- Robson Green as Geordie Keating
- Tom Brittney as Will Davenport
- Rishi Nair as Alphy Kotteram
- Charlotte Ritchie as Bonnie Evans
- Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating
- Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs Chapman
- Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman
- Al Weaver as Leonard Finch
- Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe
- Melissa Johns as Miss Scott
- Bradley Hall as Larry Peters
- Isaac Highams as Ernie Evans
- Skye Lucia Degruttola as Esme Keating
Robson Green plays Geordie Keating
Who is Geordie Keating? A gruff police detective. His best friend is local vicar Will. Geordie and his partner Cathy have had their fair share of challenges as a couple, but now appear to be in a good place. They have four children together..
Where have I seen Robson Green before? One half of '90s singing duo Robson and Jerome, Green's television CV includes prominent roles like Dr Tony Hill in Wire in the Blood and Dave Ticket in Soldier Soldier; more recently he played Teddy in BBC One drama Age Before Beauty. He's also fronted numerous fishing programmes, including Robson Green: Extreme Fisherman.
Tom Brittney plays Will Davenport
Who is Rev Will Davenport? A motorcycle-riding vicar who previously replaced James Norton's Sidney Chambers as Grantchester's resident sleuthing man of the cloth.
In season 5, Will's (self-imposed) vow of celibacy was broken (with a nun, no less). Following that, he was far more sexually liberated, but has now settled down with Bonnie, with whom he has a child, as well as parenting his stepson. In season 9, he will leave for pastures new.
Where have I seen Tom Brittney before? You might recognise Brittney for his role as Lieutenant Jeremy Foster in the time-travelling series Outlander. He has also appeared as American Tyler Mitchell in the BBC’s Lottery drama The Syndicate, and as Roger Lockwood in UnReal.
Rishi Nair plays Alphy Kotteram
Who is Alphy Kotteram? Grantchester's new vicar following Will's exit.
He is anti-police," Nair told RadioTimes.com and other press. "He has this kind of perception about the institution. Growing up as a brown man in the '40s and '50s in Britain, his experience with the police would have been very different to the previous two vicars.
"So, he has this kind of perception about them, and he has this personality trait that anyone that abuses their power, or anyone in a position of power that abuses that, he always stands up to that morally."
Where have I seen Rishi Nair before? He's best known for Hollyoaks. Nair has also appeared in Count Abdulla and The Marlow Murder Club.
Charlotte Ritchie plays Bonnie Evans
Who is Bonnie? Cathy's niece, who was widowed when we first met her and a single mother to Ernie. In season 7, Bonnie and Will tied the knot and last season, they had a child together.
Where have I seen Charlotte Ritchie before? She plays Alison in the BBC comedy series Ghosts, George in Feel Good, and Nurse Barbara Gilbert in Call the Midwife, and has starred in Dead Pixels, Fresh Meat, Siblings, Raised by Wolves, McDonald & Dodds and You.
Kacey Ainsworth plays Cathy Keating
Who is Cathy Keating? Geordie's partner. "In the domestic realm, Cathy and Geordie are on a more equal footing, which is good, because they’ve had quite a lot of ups and downs," said Ainsworth of the couple.
Where have I seen Kacey Ainsworth? The actress played Little Mo in EastEnders, and has previously starred in Holby City’s police spin-off Holby Blue. She also played the gentle-natured Miss Gullet in the revamp of popular '90s children’s show The Worst Witch.
Tessa Peake-Jones plays Mrs Chapman
Who is Mrs Chapman? Formerly Mrs Maguire (she married again in season 3), Mrs Chapman is a devout housekeeper and fiercely religious. She has no qualms about ruffling feathers when she deems it appropriate.
Where have I seen Tessa Peake-Jones? The actress is perhaps best known as Raquel Turner in legendary sitcom Only Fools and Horses, but Peake-Jones has also starred as Sue Bond in Doctors, Sheila in Unforgotten and Imelda Cousins in Holby City.
Nick Brimble plays Jack Chapman
Who is Jack Chapman? Mrs C's husband. The pair grew up together in Grantchester, and he went on to work in India after the war, becoming a successful businessman.
Where have I seen Nick Brimble before? You might recognise him as Little John from Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner. He also appeared in A Knight’s Tale with Heath Ledger.
Al Weaver plays Leonard Finch
Who is Leonard Finch? A friend of Will's and former curate who previously kept his sexuality a secret. Season 6 saw a dramatic reversal of circumstances for him when he was outed following a seaside holiday with boyfriend Daniel. Leonard now runs a halfway house.
Where have I seen Al Weaver before? Weaver has starred in Colette, Peterloo and The Hollow Crown, and recently played James Edwards in the Mike Bartlett series Press.
Oliver Dimsdale plays Daniel Marlowe
Who is Daniel Marlowe? Leonard Finch's boyfriend.
Where have I seen Oliver Dimsdale before? He played the Prince of Wales in Downton Abbey, Peter Eaton in White House Farm, Mr Keen in Mr Selfridge, and Louis Trevelyan in He Knew He Was Right.
Additional cast includes:
- Melissa Johns (Coronation Street) as Miss Scott - police secretary.
- Bradley Hall (The Singapore Grip) as DC Larry Peters.
- Isaac Highams (Foundation) as Ernie Evans - Bonnie's son.
- Skye Lucia Degruttola (Humans) as Esme Keating - Geordie and Cathy's eldest daughter.
- The younger Keating children are played by Rubie-Rose Fearfield, Rose Allen and Carter-Jae O'Neil.
Grantchester season 9 guest stars
Episode 1
- Stuart Bowman (Rebus, Versailles, Gary Tank Commander) as Bishop Aubrey Gray.
- Elliot Warren (Masters of the Air) as Sam White - a street preacher.
- Michael Golab (FBI: International) as Errol Macabre - a circus performer who's found dead.
- Cora Kirk (Your Christmas or Mine?) as Feathers / Anita - a trapeze artist turned magician's assistant.
- Melanie Kilburn (Coronation Street, The Bill) as Nanna Carson - the matriarch of the circus.
- Dan Mersh (Beyond Paradise) as Pogo / Jerry - the ring master and head clown. He reported the murder.
- Finnbar Hayman (Wolf) as Nick Jeffries - he sells candy floss at the fair.
Grantchester season 9 will begin airing on ITV1 on Wednesday 8th January 2025 at 9pm.
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