Robson Green sets record straight over ITV Grantchester future amid Tom Brittney exit: ‘Never take it for granted’
Robson Green has touched on his future on ITV period drama Grantchester following co-star Tom Brittney’s exit.
The 60-year-old stars as DI Geordie Keating in the long-running detective drama, and recently shared his thoughts about Brittney’s departure.
Speaking during a press Q&A to GB News and other media, the actor allayed fears that he too may be heading for the exit door
“I’m very blessed that I can do other stuff, I do documentaries and other dramas. But why would I want to leave [Grantchester]?” Green queried.
“People say it’s good to get out of your comfort zone, which we all do every day we stand in front of the lens, but I mean it when I say it’s the gift that keeps on giving because it’s a beautiful place to turn up to and I never take one second of Grantchester for granted.”
Green continued: “I would only leave if the standard of writing capitulated.
“And it hasn’t because Daisy [Coulam] is at the helm and Emma [Kingsman-Lloyd] at the helm, and they were there right from the start with Al [Weaver] and Tessa [Peake-Jones] and Kacey [Ainsworth].”
It comes as the actor has now bid farewell to two of his fellow protagonists in the series, with Brittney having replaced James Norton in 2023.
Opening up on Brittney’s exit, Green commented: “Tom’s a very close friend, and when that day came to say goodbye to him, there was no acting required – we hadn’t even started the scene and we were in bits.
“It was a really tough day to film, but it’s a beautiful scene, a beautiful goodbye.”
Brittney added: “I could not stop crying and I did not want to stop”.
Rishi Nair is set to make his debut as Reverend Alphy Kotteram in Wednesday’s series 10 launch, with the actor reflecting on how his race would play a part in the upcoming story.
“This was the first time I did any period [drama] and, for me, it was really important that we did address that and that it was played out in the series,” he detailed.
“I think we would have really missed the trick and not played the truth of society if I just came into 1962 Rochester and everyone’s just absolutely lovely to me and no one bats an eyelid because that’s not what would have happened.
“There’s a scene where I walk into the pub and everyone stops drinking and looks at me like I’m some sort of alien.
“Grantchester now is a very white town and in 1962 you can imagine someone like Alphy walking into that village would have been difficult.
“But Alphy’s also this character who… He’s not stupid, he knows what he’s going into, he’s grown up in London which is more multicultural than Grantchester but he’s still had to experience these issues growing up.”
Green admitted he “envied” how Nair’s character in the series is the actor’s first role as a series protagonist.
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“I envy the journey that Rishi’s got ahead of him,” he remarked.
“He – and Tom – will look back on this, this journey, this experience, with such fondness and love and joy.
“I said to Rishi, ‘Just enjoy it. Enjoy the experience, because there’s going to be times when it’s not going to be as good as this.'”