‘Grantchester’ could return – but without James Norton!

A fourth season of Grantchester still hasn’t been confirmed – and now the show’s creator has explained why.

Based on James Runcie’s novels, Grantchester is set in the 1950s in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester and was first broadcast in 2014.

A third season of ITV’s hit period drama aired earlier this year, but fans are still waiting to hear if the show will return.

The Grantchester Mysteries author James Runcie has now revealed that the delay is down to the availability of Happy Valley star James Norton, who plays vicar Sidney Chambers.

Runcie said: “James Norton is in such big demand now that I’ve no idea if he’ll be available to film a new series.”

He added that Norton could be replaced with a new actor: “But Death in Paradise has replaced the leading man, and that’s still going strong, so if the worst comes to the worst…”

The third season of Grantchester is available now to buy on DVD.

Norton’s co-star Robson Green, who plays police officer Geordie Keating, recently revealed that he hoped to stay in the series, but that he also could be replaced.