‘Father Brown’ return date confirmed: When does Season 9 start?

It’s been announced when the new season of Father Brown will premiere!

Based on the stories by GK Chesterton, BBC One’s period crime drama follows the titular clerical sleuth’s mystery-solving skills in the Cotswolds during the early 1950s.

An eighth season of Father Brown was shown in January 2020, and the ninth season was originally set to air earlier this year.

However, filming hit significant delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, and production was only able to get started in June.

Mark Williams (Harry Potter) is back as the titular crime-solving Roman Catholic priest in ten brand new 45-minute episodes.

He’s joined by returning cast members Sorcha Cusack (Mrs McCarthy), Jack Deam (Inspector Mallory) and John Burton (Sergeant Goodfellow) are Alex Price (Sid Carter), Nancy Carroll (Lady Felicia), Emer Kenny (Bunty Windermere), and John Light (Hercule Flambeau).

Carla-Maria Lawson, the BBC’s Head of Daytime previously commented: “Father Brown’s canny observations and remarkable powers of sleuthing continue to thrill not only BBC daytime viewers but audiences around the world, who find the themes in the series just as relevant today as they were in GK Chesterton’s time.”

Almost two years since the last season aired, fans don’t have too much longer to wait for the return of Father Brown.

Season 9 begins in the UK at 1.25pm on Monday 3rd January 2022 on BBC One.

The proceeding episodes will air at 1.45pm each weekday over the following fortnight.

Season 9 will receive its North American premiere on Tuesday 18th January 2022 on BritBox.

Two new episodes will arrive on the streaming service each week from this date.

Amazon Prime members can watch BritBox as an Amazon Channel and you can sign up for a free trial here!

The official synopsis reads: “Everyone’s favourite priest returns to solve more charming countryside mysteries.

“The year is 1953, and the sleepy Cotswold village of Kembleford is stirred by such dastardly deeds as murder at the local holiday camp and at Lady Felicia’s illustrious New Year Masked Ball. Between a race against time to unmask a mystery attacker and a killer in his midst, could this be the last waltz for Father Brown?”

Watch the trailer:

 

Season 9’s finale will be a very special instalment as it will also mark the 100th episode of Father Brown!

Set on New Year’s Eve, ‘The Red Death’ will feature guest appearances from Richard Dillane (Sir Charles Hakeworth), Alexander Hanson (Lord ‘Monty’ Montague), Gemma Page (Lady Agnes Hakeworth), Caleb Frederick (Dr Elliot Muthomi), Nicholas Audsley (Robert Earl of Finchmore), and Cam Spence (Ruth Moulton).

Father Brown star Mark Williams has said: “We love telling our stories as much as the world loves watching them. A modest, warm daytime drama that achieves one hundred episodes and global success. Who’d have thought it?”

The ninth season of Father Brown will be followed later in 2022 by a new spin-off series, The Sister Boniface Mysteries.

Set in the 1960s, the show will be based on the character of Sister Boniface, played by Lorna Watson (Watson & Oliver).

Father Brown is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.