Popular BBC series Father Brown has been commissioned for two more series, with filming for its 14th season now underway in the Cotswolds.
Comedian Bill Bailey and actor Clive Mantle are slated for guest appearances, joining Harry Potter star Mark Williams as the titular Roman Catholic priest.
Series 14 will see Father Brown and his team in Kembleford, solving cases involving magicians, meals on wheels, avant-garde artists, and deadly spiders.
Tom Chambers, Claudie Blakley, and John Burton will return as Inspector Sullivan, Isabel Sullivan, and Sergeant Goodfellow. Hannah Bristow joins as Father Brown’s new housekeeper, Rita Flint. Semi-regulars Nancy Carroll (Lady Felicia), Roger May (Bishop Fox), and Kieran Hodgson (Father Lindsey) also return.
Father Brown’s most dangerous enemy, Father Lazarus, played by Lex Shrapnel, is also due to reappear.
Williams said: “We started filming series 14 of Father Brown in the first week of April and while it’s always a wrench to leave my garden at home when it’s just burgeoning, the Cotswold countryside makes up for it.
“The trees are wearing their swank-coats of blossom: hawthorn, apple, pear and blackthorn – and the splendid white and pink cherries.
“There are lots of magnolias too, looking like enormous wedding bouquets, and all the trees are coming into leaf. I love the horse chestnut leaves still drooping, not yet plumped up.
“The grass looks worthy of the salad bowl and the arable fields are greening. If you are not careful you could come over all poetic; but we’ve got 10 shows to make – no time for versifying. Cassock on, let the sleuthing begin.”
Helen Munson, commissioning editor at the BBC, said: “He’s back. We are delighted to be working with BBC Studios again to give the devoted fans two more series of our crime-fighting cleric.
“With top-notch writing, fabulous cast and the beautiful Cotswolds as the backdrop, it’s no wonder that Father Brown continues to be a firm favourite with the audiences all over the world.”
Neil Irvine, executive producer for BBC Studios Drama Productions, said: “I’m delighted that Mark Williams is returning as Father Brown for a further two series and that his creative contribution has been recognised with an EP (executive producer) credit.
“With Hannah joining us to play intriguing new housekeeper Rita, and Father Lazarus returning for a thrilling endgame, this series promises to be the most exciting yet.”
Father Brown is the UK’s number one daytime drama of the last 10 years, and is viewed by audiences in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Italy, Denmark, Finland and Belgium, among others.
Season 13 of the show recently concluded on screens and season 14 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer early next year.
Setting for The White Lotus season 4 announced with significant departure from format
Sydney Sweeney pokes fun at jeans controversy in new advert
Real Housewives star Lisa Hochstein turns herself in after ‘spying’ on her ex-husband
SNL boss doesn’t think comedy does much good in the face of ‘totalitarian government’
Hulk Hogan’s son Nick shares ‘hardest part’ about dad’s shocking death at age 71
