Grantchester fans were left devastated when it was announced in July that Tom Brittney would be leaving the show after six seasons of playing Reverend Will Davenport.
The actor joined the cast in 2018, starring alongside Robson Green, who plays Will's detective and crime-solving buddy, DI Geordie Keating. With Tom set to step down from his role after season nine, fans may be curious about Robson's future on the show. Here's all we know…
While Tom will be the second lead cast member to leave the show during the nine years it's been on air, Robson has remained a constant.
Although the 58-year-old, who starred alongside James Norton for the first three seasons, has shown no signs of slowing down, he previously said that he would consider leaving the show "when the writing falters", but emphasised that it keeps getting "better and better".
"I think like anything, you know when something's not right," he said when asked if he envisions his exit during an interview with RadioTimes.com last year.
He went on to say that he's always known when to resign from previous series that he's appeared in, including Casualty, Soldier Soldier and Wire in the Blood.
He continued: "It's when the writing falters. And once the writing falters, that’s the time to leave. At the moment [with Grantchester], the writing gets better and better."
Thankfully, it looks like Robson is staying put for the foreseeable future as he often speaks of his love for the show and the team behind it.
Upon returning to set to film season eight in August last year, Robson shared several snaps from the programme, including one showing him and Tom laughing together while dressed in character. He wrote in the caption: "So happy to be back filming on Grantchester and working alongside a team who are at the top of their game.
MORE: Grantchester's Rishi Nair shares exciting update on series nine after joining the cast
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© Colin Hutton"When it comes to Grantchester, you have this metaphorical Garden of Eden: everything on the surface is colourful, it's beautiful, it's quintessentially English, it's idyllic, it's peaceful. But it’s completely deceptive!"
Then, after wrapping filming on the season, the Hexham-born star praised the cast and production crew, with a special shout-out to his co-star Tom. "That's a 'WIND REEL AND PRINT' (WRAP) on another season of Grantchester and once again it has been an absolute privilege to work alongside a cast and production team at the top of their game!" he penned.
© Photo: ITV"Also always a joy to team up with the formidable @tombrittney. It really IS a Happy Place. A series that continues to get better with age."
Upon the announcement that Tom would be leaving the programme, with Hollyoaks star Rishi Nair taking over as the new vicar, Robson said he felt "so blessed to be embarking once again on this thrilling journey".
© David M. BenettHe went on to say that while the "anticipation is palpable" he'll be sad to bid farewell to his "close friend and remarkable actor" Tom, who will be "sorely missed".
"Yet, we are all delighted in welcoming the incredibly talented Rishi Nair to the Grantchester family!" he continued. "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."
Rishi is set to play charismatic newcomer Alphy Kotteram who has "an instinctive distrust for authority and absolutely no desire to get involved in murder investigations," according to the PBS website, which adds: "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."
