GRANTCHESTER RETURNS TO ITV THIS MARCH The information contained herein is strictly and wholly embargoed from all press, online and social media use, non-commercial publication, or syndication until 00.01 Tuesday 23rd February 2016 Press Release ............................................................................................................................ Pages 3 - 4 Interview with James Norton ................................................................................................... Pages 5 - 8 Interview with Robson Green ................................................................................................. Pages 9 - 12 Interview with Neil Morrissey ............................................................................................... Pages 13 - 14 EpisoDe 1 Synopses ..................................................................................................................... Pages 15 EpisoDe 2 Synopses ....................................................................................................................... Page 16 EpisoDe 3 Synopses ....................................................................................................................... Page 17 EpisoDe 4 Synopses ....................................................................................................................... Page 18 EpisoDe 5 Synopses ....................................................................................................................... Page 19 EpisoDe 6 Synopses ....................................................................................................................... Page 20 James Runcie’s Grantchester books .............................................................................................. Page 21 Press contact: Sarah Woonton – 020 715 73066/ [email protected] Picture contact: Patrick Smith - 020 715 73044 / [email protected] 2 GRANTCHESTER SERIES 2 James Norton and Robson Green return to Grantchester and Neil Morrissey also joins the cast James Norton (Happy Valley, War and Peace) reprises his role as SiDney Chambers, the charismatic, charming, crime-fighting clergyman, anD Robson Green (Strikeback, Wire In The Blood) returns as his partner in crime, Detective Inspector GeorDie Keating, in the seconD series of Grantchester, proDuced by KuDos. Neil Morrissey also joins the cast as HarDing ReDmonD, a resiDent of Grantchester anD grieving father whose teenage Daughter Abigail (Gracie Brooke) is founD DeaD in suspicious circumstances. Heartbroken anD Desperate to get to the bottom of what happened to Abigail, Harding accuses Sidney of having an inappropriate relationship with her. Sidney is DetermineD to prove his innocence but will HarDing’s accusations change the way the villagers feel about him? Tessa Peake-Jones (Marchlands, Only Fools and Horses) dons her housecoat once again as she plays SiDney’s inDomitable housekeeper Mrs Maguire. Morven Christie (Hunted, From There To Here) is back as SiDney’s glamorous frienD AmanDa anD Kacey Ainsworth (EastEnders, The Wright Way) returns as GeorDie’s wife Cathy. Al Weaver (Southcliffe, Sherlock) also reprises his role as curate Leonard Finch, not forgetting the gorgeous black Labrador Dickens, who also returns. Other cast appearing in series two of Grantchester incluDe Claudie Blakley (Lark Rise To Candleford, The Driver), Nigel Planer (The Young Ones, Episodes), Andrew Knott (Black Work, The Driver), Seline Hizli 3 (Land Girls, Appropriate Adult), Nicky Henson (Downton Abbey, Vera Drake) anD Oliver DimsDale (Harley Street, He Knew He Was Right), Lorne McFaDyen (Shetland), Paul Nicholls (Law & Order: UK, The C Word), Tanya Franks (Broadchurch, EastEnders) anD Nick Brimble (War and Peace, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves). In 1954 murDerers were still hangeD. AnD in this new series Sidney anD GeorDie have to face up to the consequences of becoming such an accomplisheD crime fighting Duo. For SiDney, in particular, as the vicar in a small village this becomes increasingly Difficult. In the final episoDe of the last series, GeorDie was shot on Duty. A year on, he appears to have put this behind him. But underneath his carefree exterior there are new feelings of vulnerability, and this puts a strain on his relationship with Cathy, anD his frienDship with SiDney. SiDney is still single anD Geordie makes it his mission to finD him a woman. But the handsome vicar clearly still has eyes for AmanDa – whom we last saw when she was about to marry SiDney’s rival Guy (Tom Austen). The feisty secretary in the police station, Margaret (Seline Hizli), sets her sights on SiDney, but will she be able to take his minD off AmanDa? The six new episoDes have been filmeD in LonDon, CambriDge, anD Grantchester, the picturesque Cambridgeshire village whose residents warmly welcomed the production team anD embraceD the drama being filmed in their community. Grantchester, which attracteD a series average of 6.6 million viewers anD a 24% share when it DebuteD in October 2014, is baseD on The Grantchester Mysteries by James Runcie. The lead writer is Daisy Coulam (EastEnders, Death In Paradise), who was responsible for aDapting the first series. John Jackson (Being Human, Lip Service) anD Joshua St Johnston (The Enfield Haunting, Material Girl) also write for the series. Grantchester is a KuDos proDuction, anD is executive proDuceD by DieDerick Santer (Cutting It, EastEnders) anD proDuceD by Emma Kingsman-Lloyd (DCI Banks, Lip Service), both of whom were responsible for the first series. The series is DirecteD by Tim Fywell (Happy Valley, Masters of Sex) who also DirecteD the first series, DaviD O’Neill (Death In Paradise, Law and Order: UK) anD EdwarD Bennett (Death in Paradise, Silent Witness). Grantchester is a KuDos anD MASTERPIECE co-production for ITV and Endemol Shine International hold the international Distribution rights. 4 JAMES NORTON IS SIDNEY CHAMBERS What response have you had from members of the public following series one of Grantchester? It’s been very positive anD lots of people have been asking when there’s going to be a seconD series. There seems to be a real Devotion to it, which is lovely. Generally if people have watcheD one or two episoDes they’ve watched them all anD they love it, which is fantastic. We feel blesseD by the response anD the Grantchester fans seem very loyal. They know everything about it anD they love all the Different elements from Dickens the Dog to all the other characters. Robson anD I have talked about how blessed we feel by the response. It’s testament to the show. It’s warm anD affectionate anD feels like a happy place that people want to return to. It’s got that bite but it’s also warm escapism. What was it like being reunited with the cast for series 2? It was lovely. For the last month of shooting the first series a lot of time was spent speculating as to whether or not there woulD be a second series. We only find out once the series has been aired, so there’s a strange moment when you say gooDbye to everyone having finisheD filming because we Don’t know if we’ll be seeing each other for a seconD series or not. We hopeD so much that Grantchester woulD return. Me, Al Weaver who plays LeonarD anD Tessa Peake-Jones who plays Mrs Maguire spent ages on set speculating anD fantasising over what storylines coulD be written and where it might take us, so it was so lovely to return for series two. It’s reassuring how quickly it all comes back. You realise that all those relationships anD interactions anD dynamics are all bedded in. It’s a nice back catalogue of memories so the seconD series was so easy because you’ve got all these memories you createD for the first series. What was it like returning to the real Grantchester village where the series is filmed? It’s lovely anD feels like home from home. First time arounD I think the villagers initially were slightly wary but this time, for them to have gone through the experience of one series, watcheD anD enjoyeD it 5 anD then have us back again, was great. It was lovely because they seemeD really happy to have us back which makes such a Difference. Our relationship with the village itself is so important to the show. When I stanD up in front of the congregation most of them are the real villagers from Grantchester (they were inviteD to be extras) anD they are the same faces from the first series. It’s so nice for me to see them again anD to get to learn more of their names anD have relationships with them as inDiviDuals – it helps it become more like a true village church in the 50s. We were very grateful anD so toucheD that they were happy to have us back anD visa versa. At the beginning of episode one, Sidney is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a teenager. This is not the Sidney we know. Is this series a little darker than the previous series? That moment (of SiDney being accuseD), which is early on, sets the tone for this series. I think it will surprise people. Having spent the first series establishing all the characters anD the relationships anD allowing the auDience to grew an affection towards those people, it feels that with the second series we’ve earneD the right to thwart those relationships anD threaten them anD put them through their paces. Now the relationships are established we’re spending more time on the plot for each episode anD also on the overarching narrative. Now we can also take more risks anD be a bit Darker. The writing generally feels like it’s got more of an edge to it.