Grantchester star Tom Brittney is leaving the beloved ITV series after four years, and it's bittersweet news as we're waving goodbye to Reverend Will Davenport while welcoming a brand new character.
As Tom departs from Grantchester, ITV has confirmed that the village will introduce Rishi Nair as the charismatic vicar, Alphy Kotteram. He is best known for his roles in Hollyoaks and Count Abdulla and will be starring alongside Robson Green going forward.
Speaking about his departure from Grantchester, Tom Brittney said: "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. I’ll miss it more than anything.
"But it’s time for the baton to be passed, as it once was to me, and I’m so excited for Rishi to join the Grantchester family."
Ahead of his debut, Rishi Nair said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Grantchester. The welcome and support I’ve received from everyone has been overwhelming. The success of the show and the reason we are here for a ninth season is a testament to all the people that have previously worked on it.
"I'm really excited to get started and cannot wait for the Grantchester fans to meet Alphy and to see all that's in store for him."
Robson Green will reprise his role as Detective Inspector Geordie Keating in the new series and has said he is "delighted" to be working with newcomer Rishi on upcoming episodes.
He said: "I feel so blessed to be embarking once again on this thrilling journey with the beloved series, Grantchester. The anticipation is palpable however, amid the exhilaration, a tinge of sadness lingers for all of us as we are bidding farewell to my close friend and remarkable actor Tom Brittney, whose portrayal of the charismatic Will Davenport will be sorely missed.
"Yet, we are all delighted in welcoming the incredibly talented Rishi Nair to the Grantchester family! With his exceptional skills and magnetic presence, I have no doubt that Rishi will be captivating the hearts of millions not only in the UK but also across the globe."
But what will the dynamic between the new duo be like? In a new synopsis, ITV has teased: "Reverend Alphy Kotteram has an instinctive distrust for authority and absolutely no desire to get involved in murder investigations.
"But Alphy and Geordie will discover they have a lot more in common than they first think, and Alphy will find that in Grantchester, murder is never far away."
Grantchester season 9 will air on ITV in the UK and PBS Masterpiece in the US.
