News

Grantchester just returned to PBS for its ninth season on Sunday night, but viewers can rest easy knowing the Masterpiece drama's future is secure. The detective drama series has been renewed for season 10. Robson Green and Rishi Nair will return as stars of the new season, which will start filming next month in the UK.

Starring Green, Nair, Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones, Nick Brimble, Kacey Ainsworth, Skye Lucia Degruttola, Oliver Dimsdale, Charlotte Ritchie, Bradley Hall, and Melissa Johns, the Masterpiece series is based on a collection of short stories by James Runcie. The series follows vicars who help Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (Green) investigate crimes. Nair joined the show in season nine.

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Kandi Burruss has joined the second season of Hulu’s legal drama “Reasonable Doubt,” starring alongside series regulars Emayatzy Corinealdi, Morris Chestnut, McKinley Freeman, Tim Jo, Angela Grovey, Aderinsola Olabode and Thaddeus J. Mixson.

Burruss will take on the role of Eboni Phillips, a party girl in her youth who has since cleaned herself up.

According to an official logline, the new season follows Jax Stewart, who “after trying to heal from her wounds from last season’s arduous trial and deadly affair, is attempting to get her life back on track. That is until one of her closest friends reveals that she has killed her husband.”

“Reasonable Doubt” is created, written and executive produced by Raamla Mohamed. Kerry Washington executive-produces with Pilar Savone for Simpson Street, Larry Wilmore for Wilmore Films and Anton Cropper. Shawn Holley, Jon Leshay, Tamara Gregory, Lena Cordina, Tash Gray and Resheida Brady are co-executive producers.

Masterpiece on PBS has ordered a 10th season of the mystery series, Grantchester. Stars Robson Green and Rishi Nair are set to return as Di Geordie Keating and Reverend Alphy Kottaram, respectively.

Grantchester, one of Masterpiece’s longest-running series, is a co-production of Kudos (a Banijay UK Company) and Masterpiece for ITV. It airs on Masterpiece on PBS in the U.S. and on ITV1 and Itvx in the UK.

Banijay Rights handles international distribution for the series. Masterpiece is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.

“I couldn’t be happier to recommission Grantchester for a 10th season,” said Masterpiece EP Susanne Simpson. “This is hands-down one of our most popular series, and I know the fans will be thrilled to see it continue with the outstanding Robson Green and Rishi Nair back for more crime-solving.”

Added writer and EP Daisy Coulam: “This show is a testament to our...

Grantchester has a return date. PBS has announced the ninth season premiere of the Masterpiece series with the release of a trailer. This will be actor Tom Brittany's final season. He joined the drama series in 2019 as Reverend Will Davenport.

Starring Brittney, Robson Green, Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones, Nick Brimble, Kacey Ainsworth, Skye Lucia Degruttola, Oliver Dimsdale, Charlotte Ritchie, Bradley Hall, and Melissa Johns, the Grantchester series is based on short stories by James Runcie and follows vicars who help Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (Green) investigate crimes.

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We have good news and bad news for fans of PBS’s Grantchester. The good news is that the British mystery drama has been renewed for a ninth season. The bad news is that the upcoming season will be the last for Tom Brittney, who has played crime-solving vicar Will Davenport since season 4.

‘Grantchester’ renewed for season 9

It’s only been a few weeks since Grantchester Season 8 premiered on PBS, but the show’s cast is already looking ahead to season 9. Filming recently began on the upcoming episodes, which will be Tom Brittney’s last. The actor – who took over as vicar after James Norton left the show in 2019 – has decided to move on.

“I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years,” Brittney told PBS. “I got to solve crimes with my best friend, and work with the best cast and crew I could ever ask for.

Grantchester is returning for more but will soon be without one of its stars. The British detective series has been renewed for a ninth season, but those will be the final installments for star Tom Brittney (above). Production on season nine of the ITV and PBS series has just begun in the UK.

Brittney has played Reverend Will Davenport since he joined the series in the fourth season. The series' lead spot was previously held by James Norton as Reverend Sidney Chambers. Taking Britteny's place will be Rishi Nair as Vicar Alphy Kotteram.

Robson Green, Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones, Nick Brimble, Kacey Ainsworth, Skye Lucia Degruttola, Oliver Dimsdale, Charlotte Ritchie, Bradley Hall, and Melissa Johns also star in the series which is based on short stories by James Runcie. The stories follow vicars who find...

As filming for “Grantchester” Season 9 is officially underway, star Tom Brittney has revealed that it will be his last. The actor, who has portrayed Reverend Will Davenport since 2019, will exit the PBS and ITV series to focus on new projects.

“I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years. I got to solve crimes with my best friend, and work with the best cast and crew I could ever ask for,” Brittney said in a statement. “I’ll miss it more than anything. But it’s time for the baton to be passed, as it once was to me.”

In addition to Brittney’s departure, Rishi Nair is joining the show’s cast as the new vicar, Alphy Kotteram.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining ‘Grantchester.’ The welcome and support I’ve received from everyone has been overwhelming,” Nair added. “The success of...

Lead actor Tom Brittney has announced that the upcoming ninth season of the Masterpiece/ITV drama Grantchester will be his last.

Brittany has played Reverend Will Davenport on the crime series since 2019 and is stepping back to focus on new projects. Grantchester follows Detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green) and the motorcycle riding vicar Will (Brittney) as they investigate murders in the Cambridgeshire village.

The drama has cast Rishi Nair as a charismatic new vicar named Alphy Kotteram. Filming is already underway on the ninth season; the eighth kicked off Sunday, July 9, on Masterpiece.

“I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years,” Brittney said in a statement. “I got to solve crimes with my best friend, and work with the best cast and crew I could ever ask for. I’ll miss it more than anything. But it’s time for the baton to be passed,...

PBS is plotting a summer return to the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester.

Season 8 of the British police drama will arrive Stateside on Sunday, July 9 at 9/8c, it was announced Thursday. The public broadcaster also released a trailer, which you can watch above.

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Meanwhile, the logline for Season 8 reads as follows:

“Will is the happiest he’s ever been but his world will be rocked by a terrible accident. He’s always preached the word of a compassionate...

PBS’s summer schedule is shaping up, and it’s looking very mysterious. In addition to the final season of Endeavour (which premieres June 18), viewers can also look forward to the season 8 premiere of Grantchester in July 2023.

‘Grantchester’ Season premieres July 9

We’re pleased to announce that Will and Geordie will be back on your screens this summer! Return to #GrantchesterPBS on July 9th with Masterpiece Mystery! on @PBS. pic.twitter.com/mF7cStcJkr

— Masterpiece | PBS (@masterpiecepbs) April 13, 2023

Grantchester Season 8 premieres Sunday, July 9 at 9 p.m. Et on PBS. The new season will have six episodes, with the final two installments airing back-to-back on Sunday, August 6.

Each new episode of Grantchester will also be available to stream online at PBS.org for 14 days, beginning the night it airs. PBS Passport members will be able to binge the entire season starting July 9.

Tom Brittney, Robson Green return for the new episodes...

Grantchester is returning for an eighth season. ITV and PBS have renewed the Masterpiece series and new episodes are already being filmed. The British detective series is set during the 1950s and stars Tom Brittany, Al Weaver, Robson Green, Tessa Peake-Jones, Nick Brimble, Kacey Ainsworth, Skye Lucia Degruttola, Oliver Dimsdale, and Charlotte Ritchie, Bradley Hall, and Melissa Johns. Guests will include Shaun Dingwall, Jeff Rawle, and Jemima Rooper.

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PBS on Thursday announced that British crime drama Grantchester has been renewed for Season 8. The pickup comes just days ahead of Season 7’s Stateside finale, which is set to air Sunday, Aug. 14 at 9/8c.

Production on Season 8 is already underway in the UK, and Masterpiece PBS has provided the following teaser:

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“Will is the happiest he’s ever been but his world will be rocked by a terrible accident. He’s always preached the word of a...

PBS Masterpiece and ITV drama Grantchester has been recommissioned for an eighth season.

Set in a small English village, the show from Broadchurch producer Kudos stars Robson Green as Di Geordie Keating and Tom Brittney as Reverend Will Davenport.

In season eight of the popular long-running series, Will starts off the happiest he’s ever been but his world is rocked by a terrible accident while Geordie’s happiness will be threatened by shocking accidents at work.

Lead actor Green said: “A series that just gets better with age. Everyone involved is at the top of their game and this incredibly charming, likeable, dark and edgy show is an absolute privilege to be part of.”

Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts) returns as Bonnie for season eight, alongside Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs C, Al Weaver as Leonard Finch, Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating, Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe and Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman.

Grantchester fans can breathe a bit more easily: The fan-favorite British crime drama is returning for an eighth season on Masterpiece PBS in the U.S. and ITV in the U.K. This news comes just days ahead of the Season 7 finale premiering in the U.S. (on August 14). Filming is underway on the series produced by Kudos (a Banijay UK company), as you can see from the photo below. Robson Green and Tom Brittney are back as Di Geordie Keating and Reverend Will Davenport, respectively. Also returning are Charlotte Ritchie as Bonnie, Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs. C, Al Weaver as Leonard Finch, Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating, Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe, and Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman. Season 8’s special guest stars include Shaun Dingwall, Jeff Rawle, and Jemima Rooper. In Season 8, Will may be the happiest he’s ever been, but then a terrible accident rocks his world.

Warning: contains plot details for Grantchester seasons 1-6 and the first two episodes of season 7.

Grantchester is commonly described by critics and viewers as a “cozy mystery”. This label, especially in regards to its seventh season currently airing in the US on PBS, is misleading. Although so far the season’s emphasis on found family is heart-warming, there are also a number of serious social and political issues underneath the unraveling of its various mysteries.

The crime-solving vicar/priest/nun is a common cozy mystery archetype. In 1950s-set Grantchester, originally based on a series of books by James Runcie, that character started out as Sidney Chambers (James Norton), a vicar with an unusual side hobby and a good friend in police inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green). Sidney served in WWII but many of his younger parishioners did not, which shaped his interactions. The series veered in a different direction from the books,...

Grantchester isn't going away anytime soon. Deadline reports the PBS and ITV TV show has been renewed for a sixth season.

Set in the 1950s, the crime drama follows the unlikely pairing of a detective (Robson Green) and a vicar (Tom Brittney) as they solve crimes in the small English village of Grantchester. The cast also includes Tessa Peake-Jones, Al Weaver, Kacey Ainsworth, and Felix Scott.

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Vulture Watch

Are Sidney and Geordie still on the case? Has the Grantchester TV show been cancelled or renewed for a fifth season on PBS? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Grantchester, season five. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?

What's This TV Show About?

A PBS period mystery drama, Grantchester stars James Norton, Robson Green, Tessa Peake-Jones, Tom Brittney, Al Weaver, Kacey Ainsworth, Oliver Dimsdale, Nick Brimble, Gary Beadle, Bradley Hall, Felix Scott, Skye Lucia Degruttola, and Jemma Redgrave. Set in the 1950s, in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester, the British detective series is based on James Runcie’s Grantchester Mysteries. The story centers on sleuthing Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers (Norton)...

I was a little nervous about the current fourth season of the PBS crime drama series Grantchester, as just one episode in, we lost one of our main characters who drove the series, and was so loved. It’s a small cast, and the series has always hinged on the main two characters, played by James Norton and Robson Green, so to know Norton wouldn’t be on the show anymore, I had to wonder if it would work. Luckily, the supporting cast, and the new members including Tessa Peake-Jones, Al Weaver, and Tom Brittney have carried it into this new season of the series, and I’m happy to say it still works!

This series is so incredibly well-written and captivating. It has every ingredient to make a great dramatic, comedic, crime show, with characters we love so much. So I am happy to report we are getting another season after this one.

How sharp are Sidney and Geordie during the fourth season of the Grantchester TV show on PBS? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Grantchester is cancelled or renewed for season five. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered in cancellations and renewals, we invite you to rate all of the season four episodes of Grantchester for us here.

A PBS period mystery drama, Grantchester stars James Norton, Robson Green, Tessa Peake-Jones, Tom Brittney, Al Weaver, Kacey Ainsworth, Oliver Dimsdale, Nick Brimble, Gary Beadle, Bradley Hall, Felix Scott, Skye Lucia Degruttola, and Jemma Redgrave. Set in the 1950s, in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester, the British detective series is based on James Runcie’s Grantchester Mysteries. The story centers on sleuthing...

Grantchester will be back! Deadline reports the ITV show has been renewed for a fifth season.

The UK drama, which airs on PBS in the U.S., is set in 1950s England and centers on a detective who teams up with an Anglican vicar to solve crimes. The cast includes James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie, Tessa Peake-Jones, Al Weaver, and Kacey Ainsworth.

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This is a good news -- bad news situation. The Grantchester TV show has been renewed for a fourth season on PBS, however, season four will be James Norton's final outing as Anglican priest Vicar Sidney Chambers. Norton is in high demand, these days. He also stars as Alex Godman on McMafia, an AMC--BBC One co-production that centers on a Russian mob family living in exile in London. Grantchester, season four, will premiere on PBS in 2019 at a date Tbd. An ITV and PBS Masterpiece mystery, Grantchester also stars Robson Green as Di Geordie Keating, Sidney Chambers' partner-in-crime-fighting. Co-stars Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones, and Kacey Ainsworth are also returning for Grantchester season four. Meanwhile, the production will be casting for a new...

First the good news for Grantchester fans: The ITV & PBS series has been renewed for Season 4. Now the rotten news: They will be the final episodes with star James Norton as the jazz-loving, crime-solving vicar Sidney Chambers as the actor segues to the BBC-AMC drama McMafia.

Norton, whose name has been bandied about as the next James Bond, will return to the Masterpiece series alongside Robson Green, who co-stars as his partner-in-crimefighting Detective Geordie Keating. Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones and Kacey Ainsworth also star. Production begins in June in London for a 2019 premiere.

But Norton’s exit won’t signal the end of the series set in the 1950s in the English hamlet of Grantchester.

“It’s a bittersweet time for Grantchester fans, who will be cheering the return of the series but crushed to say goodbye to James,” said Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton at Wgbh Boston.

Network: PBS. Episodes: Ongoing (hour). Seasons: Ongoing. TV show dates (Us): January 18, 2015 — present. Series status: Has not been cancelled. Performers include: James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie, Tessa Peake-Jones, Al Weaver, Kacey Ainsworth, Tom Austen, Seline Hizli, Pip Torrens, Pheline Roggan, Fiona Button, Oliver Dimsdale, and Lorne MacFayden. TV show description: Set in the 1950s, in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester, the Grantchester TV show is a British detective drama based on James Runcie's Grantchester Mysteries. The story centers on sleuthing Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers (Norton) and his partner in crime-fighting, Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (Green). Young, amiable, attractive, and appealing, Sidney loves warm beer, hot jazz, and his black Labrador, Dickens. A modest and diligent man, Sidney works hard...

Only Fools and Horses is back. Sort of. British Comedy Guide reports UK TV channel Gold has ordered a documentary about the classic BBC sitcom.From John Sullivan, the comedy centered on two brothers' often failed attempts to get rich quick. The cast included David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Lennard Pearce, Buster Merryfield, Tessa Peake-Jones, and Gwyneth Strong. The show ran for seven seasons and 16 specials before ending in 2003.Read More…...

[caption id="attachment_45830" align="aligncenter" width="589"] Grantchester. James Norton as Sidney Chambers. (C) Des Willie/Kudos & ITV for Masterpiece/caption]

Keep your shirts on! You can watch a preview for second season of Masterpiece Mystery's Grantchester TV series, right here. Season two of Grantchester premieres on PBS, Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 9:00pm Et/Pt. The series stars James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie, and Tessa Peake-Jones.

In season two, PBS teases "James Norton will don his priestly collar and Robson Green his rumpled raincoat," for a new season as the oddly matched crime-fighters -- Reverend Sidney Chambers and Inspector Geordie Keating. PBS says, "Together, they bring justice and spiritual nourishment to early 1950s England."

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Neil Morrissey is starring in series two of ITV's period drama Grantchester.

The actor will appear alongside James Norton and Robson Green, who star as clergyman Sidney Chambers and police inspector Geordie Keating investigating crimes in the 1950s-set village.

Morrissey will play Harding Redmond, the father of teenage girl Abigail (Grace Holley) who is found dead in Grantchester under suspicious circumstances.

He accuses Chambers of having an inappropriate relationship with his daughter - forcing the clergyman to both investigate the girl's murder and clear his name.

But is it too late to save his reputation amongst the residents of Grantchester?

Morrissey said of his new role: "I'm really excited to be joining the cast of Grantchester. It's great to work with James Norton, Robson Green and the rest of the cast, and I can't wait to film in the actual village of Grantchester, which I know is beautiful.

"I'm also...

ITV is shortly to begin production on Season 2 of Grantchester, for air in 2016. The period drama about a sleuthing vicar is produced by Lovely Day. James Norton is returning as Sidney Chambers, the charismatic, charming, crime-fighting clergyman, and Robson Green will return as his partner in crime, Police Inspector Geordie Keating. Also in the cast are Tessa Peake-Jones, Morven Christie, Kacey Ainsworth and Al Weaver. In the new season, which begins a year after the…...

ITV is shortly to begin production on Season 2 of Grantchester, for air in 2016. The period drama about a sleuthing vicar is produced by Lovely Day. James Norton is returning as Sidney Chambers, the charismatic, charming, crime-fighting clergyman, and Robson Green will return as his partner in crime, Police Inspector Geordie Keating. Also in the cast are Tessa Peake-Jones, Morven Christie, Kacey Ainsworth and Al Weaver. In the new season, which begins a year after the…...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has unveiled its 2015 line-up which includes films representing 54 countries, 23 world premieres and 53 U.S. premieres. The U.S. premiere of Niki Caro’s McFarland USA will close out the 30th fest. Based on the 1987 true story and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello, the film follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. The unlikely band of runners overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well.

The festival runs from January 27-February 7.

Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.

World Premieres

A Better You, USA

Directed by Matt Walsh

Cast: Brian Huskey,...

A self-acknowledged "showcase for Academy Award frontrunners," the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is often overlooked for the actual films that earn it festival status. An amalgamation of international discoveries and ’merica’s circuit highlights, the Sbiff curates a week of best-of-the-best to pair with their star-praising. The 2015 edition offers another expansive selection, bookended by two films that aren’t on any radars just yet. Sbiff will open with "Desert Dancer," producer Richard Raymond’s directorial debut. Starring Reece Ritchie and Frieda Pinto, the drama follows a group of friends who wave off the harsh political climate of Iran’s 2009 presidential election in favor of forming a dance team, picking up moves from Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev thanks to the magic of YouTube. The festival will close with "McFarland, USA," starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. Telling the 1987 true story of a Latino high school’s underdog cross-country team,...

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

With five key co-stars (plus a couple of elves), Steven Moffat still managed to keep things pretty tight in Last Christmas, enabling the guest cast to rise above the sort of one-line nonsense given to Tessa Peake-Jones in The Time of the Doctor or June Whitfield in The End of Time and introduce us to some...

The post What Did You Think Of The Last Christmas Costars? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Tessa Peake-Jones has seen her ''gorgeous'' 'Granchester' co-star's penis. The 57-year-old actress got close and personal with James Norton on the set of hippie film 'Bonobo' as she admitting to seeing his private parts while filming. Tessa - who rose to fame playing Raquel Turner in BBC sitcom 'Only Fools and Horses'- exclusively told Bang showbiz: ''James is one of the commune members, so my first vision of him was doing yoga in the garden stark naked. ''It's about a commune in England, set today, run by a hippie person and they base themselves on the Bonobo tribe which are a tribe of...

Digital Spy can exclusively reveal a deleted scene from Grantchester series one.

Watch James Norton's Sidney Chambers and Tessa Peake-Jones' Mrs Maguire discuss an unwelcome guest in the clip from the ITV drama below:

Grantchester is based on the characters created by novelist James Runcie.

The series follows charismatic priest Sidney Chambers (Norton) and Police Inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green) as they fight crimes together in the backdrop of Cambridgeshire in the 1950s.

ITV has commissioned a second series of Grantchester, with filming to begin in 2015.

The series will make its Us debut on January 18, 2015, airing on PBS.

Grantchester series one is out now on DVD.

Tessa Peake-Jones feels like she only sees her former 'Only Fools and Horses' co-stars at funerals. The 57-year-old actress - who played Raquel Welch on the popular sitcom - admitted that she feels sad about not keeping in contact with old cast members following the deaths of Roger Lloyd-Pack (Trigger), Roy Heather (Sid) and the show's writer, John Sullivan. Tessa said: ''As a team we were all incredibly close. We were like a big family. But we have been to a lot of funerals recently and another one hits the dust with Roy.'' The actress revealed that she was particularly ''shocked'' by the...

Feature Alex Westthorp 16 Apr 2014 - 07:00

Alex's trek through the film roles of actors who've played the Doctor reaches Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy...

Read the previous part in this series, Doctor Who: the film careers of Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker, here.

In March 1981, as he made his Doctor Who debut, Peter Davison was already one the best known faces on British television. Not only was he the star of both a BBC and an ITV sitcom - Sink Or Swim and Holding The Fort - but as the young and slightly reckless Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great And Small, about the often humorous cases of Yorkshire vet James Herriot and his colleagues, he had cemented his stardom. The part led, indirectly, to his casting as the venerable Time Lord.

The recently installed Doctor Who producer, John Nathan-Turner, had been the Production Unit Manager on...

Robson Green and EastEnders star Kacey Ainsworth have been cast in a new crime drama from ITV.

Grantchester will star James Norton as Sidney Chambers, a vicar who solves crimes.

Green will play his plain-speaking partner - Police Inspector Geordie Keating - in the six-part series, set in Cambridgeshire, 1953.

Ainsworth is cast as Geordie's loving wife Cathy, while Morven Christie and Tessa Peake-Jones will also star.

Grantchester - written by Daisy Coulam and based on the work of author James Runcie - will shoot from later this month until June.

"Grantchester is an exciting commission," said ITV's Director of Drama, Steve November.

"Daisy Coulam's scripts are vivid and beautifully written with some wonderful characters at the heart of the stories. There's an emotional truth and gravity to this series which makes it a very compelling drama."...

Sometimes, some of us Doctor Who aficionados are an ungrateful bunch. After spending more than a decade in the wilderness, the programme was brought back into the fold and welcomed with open arms and critical acclaim. And yet, from time to time, us fans just can't resist the odd grumble when things don't quite go our way. Me myself, I'm guilty as charged – if the era of Russell T Davies was, by and large, very much to my liking (albeit with one or two scowls), the last couple of years haven't thrilled me so much. A good chunk of my last few reviews, in particular, have read like the frenzied burblings of Victor Meldrew.

Which kind of makes me feel a bit sad. I tuned into the behind-the-scenes documentary of the last story, The Time Of The Doctor, and evidently, everyone was giving it 110% to make Matt Smith go out with a bang.

BBC America has aired an extended trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas episode.

A minute-long advert for 'The Time of the Doctor' premiered online today (December 18) - double the length of the preview shown on the BBC in the UK last week.

The new video sees Matt Smith as the Doctor visiting Clara's (Jenna Coleman) family home at Christmas, and features actress Sheila Reid, who starred in Doctor Who in 1985, playing Clara's grandmother.

The trailer also shows a Dalek stating: "You will die in silence Doctor."

BBC America last week unveiled new pictures from Matt Smith's final Doctor Who episode.

The 20 new images from the episode feature Smith, co-star Coleman and many of the Christmas special's guest stars, including Orla Brady and Tessa Peake-Jones.

Gallery - The Time of the Doctor:Classic Who monsters the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Weeping Angels and the Silence will all appear in the festive episode,...

Steven Moffat has revealed that he has had Matt Smith's Doctor Who exit planned out "for a long while".

'The Time of the Doctor' will pay off plot points "laid down for years", the showrunner promised.

"Before I wrote it, I did say to Mark [Gatiss] that I thought I knew what [Matt's] last moment would be - and indeed his last line," Moffat said. "I've had the vague storyline in place for a long while."

An hour-long special, 'The Time of the Doctor' will write out Smith's Doctor and introduce a new incarnation, played by The Thick of It star Peter Capaldi.

"It's his final battle and he's been fighting it for a while," Moffat teased. "There are... elements from every series of Matt's Doctor, which will come to a head in this special."

Fringe star Orla Brady, Benidorm's Sheila Reid and Only Fools and Horses actress Tessa Peake-Jones...

BBC America has unveiled new pictures from Matt Smith's final Doctor Who episode.

20 new images from 'The Time of the Doctor' feature Smith, co-star Jenna Coleman and many of the Christmas special's guest stars, including Orla Brady and Tessa Peake-Jones.

Doctor Who: Steven Moffat bids a fond farewell to Matt Smith

Classic Who monsters the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Weeping Angels and the Silence will all appear in the festive episode, and can all be glimpsed in the new pictures.

Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat recently revealed that Matt Smith's Doctor is in fact the 13th incarnation and so will face a regeneration crisis in the forthcoming episode.

Doctor Who 'The Time of the Doctor' will air on Christmas Day (Wednesday December 25) at 7.30pm on BBC One.

BBC America will air the special later that day - at 9/8c in the Us.

Catch up on all the...

Benidorm actress Sheila Reid will guest star in Doctor Who's Christmas special 'The Time of the Doctor'.

The actress will make her debut as Clara's grandmother, while James Buller returns as Clara's father following his appearance in 'The Rings of Akhaten' earlier this year.

Doctor Who: Daleks, Cybermen in Matt Smith finale - pictures

According to the Radio Times, Elizabeth Rider will star as Linda, Only Fools and Horses actress Tessa Peake-Jones will play Marta and Facejacker's Kayvan Novak will voice Handles.

Meanwhile, Mark Anthony Brighton will play Colonel Albero, Sonita Henry will be Colonel Meme, Rob Jarvis will play Abramel and Jack Hollington will appear as Barnable.

The festive episode marks the last appearance of Matt Smith as The Doctor, while Peter Capaldi will make his first full appearance in the role.

'The Time of the Doctor' airs on Christmas Day at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Assassin

Danny Dyer is set to star in the London-set hitman thriller "Assassin" for Richwater Films and Silver Leaf Pictures. Jonathan Sothcott and J.K. Amalou will produce and shooting begins in August.

Dyer plays a professional contract killer who compromises himself when he realizes that his latest victim is the estranged father of the girl he has fallen in love with. Amalou penned the script and will also direct. [Source: Heat Vision]

Legacy

Charlie Cox, Romola Garai, Andrew Scott, Simon Russell Beale, Olivia Grant, Christian McKay and Tessa Peake Jones have joined the BBC telemovie adaptation of Alan Judd's novel "Legacy".

Pete Travis ("Dredd") helms this espionage thriller set in 1970s London which follows a young spy who discovers an unexpected truth about his father’s past. [Source: Mxdwn]

The Human Voice

Committing to her first starring role in a decade, Sophia Loren will star in her son Edoardo Ponti's new film "La...

Boardwalk Empire's Charlie Cox, The Hour's Romola Garai and Sherlock's Andrew Scott are to star in new BBC Two drama Legacy.

BAFTA-winner Simon Russell Beale (The Hollow Crown) joins the trio in the Cold War thriller from writer Paula Milne (The Politician's Husband).

The one-off film is based on Alan Judd's 2001 novel of the same name and will be directed by Dredd's Pete Travis.

Legacy tells the story of a young spy, Charles Thoroughgood (Cox), who discovers the disturbing truth about his father's complex past.

Scott will play Soviet diplomat Victor Koslov, while Garai is cast as the character Anna.

Olivia Grant (Strike Back), Christian McKay (Tinker Taylor Solider Spy) and Tessa Peake Jones (Marchlands) will also appear in the 90-minute drama.

"Legacy falls well within the genre of the British spy thriller but has an extraordinary personal twist," said writer Milne.

"For what is...

Tube Talk Gold has looked back at many classic sitcoms, but there aren't many shows that can truly hold the mantle of 'Gold', and this month's edition focuses on a truly British institution, featuring some of the UK's most favourite characters, catchphrases and moments for over 20 years.

After a near-miss Us remake starring John 'Luigi from Super Mario Bros' Leguizamo, the legacy of Only Fools and Horses can carry on untarnished.

Only Fools and Horses - Originally broadcast from September 8, 1981 to February 3, 1991 and Christmas specials from 1991 to 2003.

John Sullivan had already created the successful sitcom Citizen Smith for the BBC when he was commissioned to write a new series. Influenced by the popularity of ITV's Minder, he came up with an idea of a cockney market trader in modern-day London. Using a strange old American saying for its title, he wrote a series that would go on to become possibly the UK's best-loved comedy.

David Hasselhoff is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of cult TV series Knight Rider with a visit to Memorabilia Birmingham, which will be his first appearance at an autograph-signing event.

Billed as the UK's biggest collectors' show, the convention takes place at the NEC on Saturday, November 24, and Sunday, November 25.

The Hoff, also known for his role in Baywatch and as a judge on Britain's Got Talent, will be meeting fans on both days.

Other guests include:

• Warwick Davis - Show favourite and star of Life's Too Short, Warwick's movie credits include Willow; Star Wars; Harry Potter and Leprechaun.

• Michael Biehn - Starred in James Cameron sci-fi movies The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt Coffey.

• Eddie McClintock - Star of Warehouse 13, where he plays co-protagonist Pete Lattimer. Other credits include Bones and Desperate Housewives.

• Britt Ekland - Best known for...

Holby City bosses have announced that Only Fools and Horses star Tessa Peake-Jones has joined the cast of the show. The actress has taken on the role of Imelda Cousins, who descends on the hospital as Acting CEO next month. An upcoming storyline on the BBC One medical drama sees Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry) go Awol from Holby, which leads to Imelda being brought in as his temporary replacement. The initial plan is for Imelda to be at Holby on a short-term acting basis while the hospital board works out a longer-term strategy. However, the ambitious newcomer is eager for her new job to work out and is determined to prove herself as a woman not to be messed with. Peake-Jones commented: "I'm loving the chance to come into the show (more)...

If Only Fools And Horses had started in the 21st century, it wouldn't have lasted for more than two series.

Let me explain. Back in the early 1980s, a brand new sitcom was written by John Sullivan, charting the misadventures of a wayward Peckham family, the Trotters. Three generations were spanned in a poky flat, which was part of Nelson Mandela House. The problem was that, when it first went out in 1981, the ratings were deemed to be on the low side. A second series went ahead, but even then, the ratings were not deemed world-shattering. If that had happened today, the show would have been axed quicker than you could shout “Mange Tout!” That's the price you pay for being with a ratings-hungry broadcaster, full of media-savvy trendies with buzzwords and balance sheets.

But luckily, a repeat season was to prove to be Only Fools And Horses' salvation. This time around,...

Wendi McLendon-Covey has been cast in ABC's Only Fools and Horses remake. The Bridesmaids star will play Ruby, the ex-wife of John Leguizamo's Del. The equivalent role of Raquel in the UK original was played by Tessa Peake-Jones. After she was released from HBO pilot Viagra Diaries, McLendon-Covey attracted five offers, and ultimately decided to join the cast of Only Fools and Horses, reports Deadline. The comedy pilot is about two streetwise brothers Del (Leguizamo) and Rodney (Dustin (more)...