ITV Grantchester newcomer Rishi Nair makes feelings clear on addressing diverse cast in 1960s series
Grantchester star Rishi Nair has made his feelings clear and addressed the diverse cast that the show now has – revealing his admiration.
Robson Green and Tom Brittney are reprising their roles as Will Davenport and Detective Inspector Geordie Keating in the new series of the ITV show.
The new season will mark Brittney’s final turn at the helm of the series after she took over the reins from James Norton as the show’s leading man in 2019.
He announced his departure from the show in 2023 and said in a statement at the time: “I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years.
“I got to solve crimes with my best friend, and work with the best cast and crew I could ever ask for.
“I’ll miss it more than anything. But it’s time for the baton to be passed, as it once was to me, and I’m so excited for Rishi to join the Grantchester family.”
Nair – who is known for his roles in Hollyoaks and Count Abdulla – has joined the cast as the charismatic vicar Alphy Kotteram.
The star has opened up about how it feels to be part of a diverse cast in the new series after not seeing a lot as he was growing up.
Speaking to Radio Times, Nair explained: “Growing up, I never really saw anyone who looked like me being a lead.
“I didn’t know if it was a viable option, as a person of colour, trying to get into an industry that’s already so difficult to get into.
“It would be silly to pretend that he walks into this very white, 1960s village and everyone just takes him in, because actually, that’s not what would have happened.
“It would have been difficult for him, and we do touch upon that.”
When touching on a scene where his character walks into a pub and everyone turns to look at him, Nair expressed that he found it was important for that scene to be shown.
He added that he hoped young children and actors seeing him as one of the main characters would make them think it is viable for them to be able to go on to succeed and do something similar.
Alongside Green and Brittney, other returning cast members in season 9 include Al Weaver as Leonard Finch, Charlotte Ritchie as Bonnie, Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs C, Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating, Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe, Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman, Bradley Hall as DC Larry Peters and Melissa Johns as Miss Scott.
Creator Daisy Coulam accepted Brittney’s departure and reassured them that they have got the right person for the job in Nair.
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She said: “It’s scary. Change is always scary, isn’t it, and I think we there was such a genuine love between the characters and the actors, and you worry you can’t replicate that.
“But we’ve been very lucky on this show that we did it once with James Norton, then with Tom, and sometimes I think there’s like some kind of godly intervention in this show.
“We hit gold the third time as well. So we were very lucky, even from the audition you guys hit it off.”