‘Father Brown’ has been picked up by ‘232 countries’ around the world

Father Brown has quietly become one of the BBC’s biggest global successes!

Set in the Cotswolds during the early 1950s, BBC One’s daytime crime drama launched in 2013 and stars Harry Potter actor Mark Williams as a crime-solving Roman Catholic priest.

Created by author GK Chesterton, the character originally appeared in 53 short stories between 1910 and 1936.

British tabloid newspaper the Daily Express reports that the series has now been picked up by “232 countries,” which is especially impressive given that there are only 195 countries in the world.

A BBC source said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the news. It’s overdue recognition for a great show.”

Father Brown is the BBC’s most popular show in Norway and in the US it’s the only UK drama reaching more than 100 million homes in primetime, thanks to a syndication deal with PBS.

Despite its popularity, the series is still only broadcast in the early afternoon in the UK.

Star Mark Williams commented: “We all love doing it. We’ve had more success worldwide than any other BBC drama series – but we don’t make those decisions [on scheduling].”

The series is available to buy now on DVD.

The BBC recently announced that Father Brown has been renewed for a seventh season, but the new episodes will not air until early 2019.