“IT’S about guilt and conflict. The conflict between love and duty.

“It is shocking and it is dark but in a slightly different more personal way.”

James Norton talking to me about series three of Grantchester which returns to ITV at 9pm this Sunday (April 23).

With challenges ahead for both vicar Sidney Chambers, played by James, and Inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green).

The new series also seeing the return of Morven Christie as Amanda, Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs Maguire, Al Weaver as Leonard Finch and Lorne Macfadyen as Phil Wilson.

Plus the arrival of Gary Beadle as Archdeacon Gabriel Atubo.

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“IT’S very important that Sidney has seen death. That he knows death.

“I remember my father said to me once:

‘I don’t suppose you’ve buried many of your friends?’

“Which is a very shocking sentence.”

Author James Runcie, son of the late Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie, talking about his creation Sidney Chambers.

Grantchester is a new six-part series starting on ITV at 9pm on Monday (October 6).

Starring James Norton as Sidney.

Totally transformed from his no doubt future award-winning role as psychopath Tommy Lee Royce in BBC1’s Happy Valley.

Sarah Lancashire as Catherine Cawood.
Sarah Lancashire as Catherine Cawood.

“I’LL make a note of the fact that you apologised profusely…in tears.”

Sarah Lancashire as Sergeant Catherine Cawood in tonight’s Happy Valley episode three. (BBC1 9pm)

Sally Wainwright’s brilliant script matched, yet again, by Sarah’s work on screen.

In a series reminding us that Sally’s writing CV includes dramas like Unforgiven, as well as Last Tango In Halifax, Scott and Bailey and At Home With The Braithwaites.

Back in March I attended the London launch of this six-part drama, followed by a Q&A.

A few hours later I wrote the story further down this page, which has not gone online – so best put that right now.