Is Tom Brittney leaving ‘Grantchester?’

Among British TV’s large historical tradition of crime-solving clergymen (there are a lot), Grantchester stands out as one of the most popular shows of its kind.

The show, which takes inspiration from James Runcie’s The Grantchester Mysteries book series, pairs a police detective with the town vicar to solve crimes in the small Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester in the ’50s and ’60s. It’s been airing on ITV and PBS for nearly ten years, with season nine premiering on June 16, 2024.

Is season nine Tom Brittney’s last in Grantchester?

Yes. 33-year-old British actor Tom Brittney is exiting Grantchester in season nine. The Kent native joined the show in season four as new town vicar Reverend Will Davenport, who was replacing James Norton’s original leading man Sidney Chambers. Replacing Rev. Davenport will be Rishi Nair’s Alphy Kotteram. Although there is always a vicar who helps Robson Green’s DI Geordie Keating solve criminal mysteries, instead of recasting the same character, the show has opted to change every time an actor chooses to leave.

For Brittney, who was rumored to be in the running to become James Gunn’s new Superman before the gig eventually went to David Corenswet, the exit was about “[stretching his] legs as an actor,” he told TVInsider. After five years as a core member of the ITV show, the actor is ready for new challenges. Conversely, his character Will is looking for fewer challenges — crime solving takes its toll.

I think Will’s journey needed to come to an end. He’s been through so many ups and downs that I felt like he needed some peace.”

Season nine of Grantchester will play out across eight episodes, airing weekly on Sundays on ITV and PBS. Fans in the U.S. can stream the show on the PBS website and with PBS Passport.