John Simm’s ITV crime drama Grace is back on our screens for its sixth season in just a matter of days. The series stars Simm as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, who investigates cases in and around Brighton while being haunted by the disappearance of his wife.
Grace was adapted from Peter James’ Roy Grace series of novels, with the author’s most recent work being published last year.
While all of the series’ previous episodes have been based on one of James’ novels, season six will be the first time an episode has not been based on or named after one of the books.
Sally Mais//ITV
Related: Best streaming services UK 2026 – including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+
Grace’s producer Phil Hunter explained at a recent Q&A (via RadioTimes) that one episode will be a “writer/producer led story” which takes place on a university campus and concerns women’s safety.
Hunter shared: “It’s a very sombre and important issue, and something that is sadly, very relevant.
“We worked with Caroline Carver [actress and screenwriter] on that story, and I think it was to make sure that, as a topic, it fit within the kind of vernacular of the show.
“Because obviously they’ll go out on a Sunday night to entertain people, so it was to make sure that we were addressing that topic with the right level of respect to it, and so that the threat and violence towards women was considered. And I’ll say justifiable, but in the eyes of the killer and the motive of our aggressor on screen.”
Hunter went on to explain that it was important for them to construct the story “so that the victims and those supporting the fallout from the victims’ deaths were ultimately given agency and given a voice in the story.”
The choice of a university for the setting was to make sure the show “created something where there will be a voice to speak out against” the crimes, with Hunter adding: “There’s a body within the university where these people are coming out and calling out this kind of behaviour.”
The producer continued: “It gives the young women and the students in this storyline agency and a voice in it all, to the point where they become instrumental in terms of catching the killer at the end of the day.
“So it was really important, because ultimately you’ve got to do that with great sensitivity. I hope and I feel like we’ve done that.”
Hunters’ co-producer Kieran Murray-Smith went to speak further about the show exploring stories that aren’t direct adaptations of James’s novels.
Murray-Smith explained that “there’s not really an overtaking the books”, but that they have put some of the books “aside, just in case we get an option of going further”.
He added: “And then what we have done is we’ve had producer led stories. So within the last few years, we’ve had producer led stories that have the backing of Peter James.
“We have a conversation, everything gets approved by Peter. I speak to Peter probably once every couple of weeks at least, but he’s very on board with the stories that we come up with, especially in this last series.
Sally Mais//ITV
Related: Danny Dyer and John Simm’s ’90s “genius” British cult classic lands new UK streaming home
“So everything that you see on screen that isn’t specifically adapted from a Peter James book will be adapted from either a kernel of his ideas or whatever. So it’s always going to have that DNA.”
Grace has been a hit with viewers since its debut in 2021, with user reviews on IMDB calling it “slick” and “superior”.
Season six, which will consist of four episodes, will see the return of Simm, alongside Richie Campbell, Zoë Tapper, Laura Elphinstone, Brad Morrison and Juliette Motamed.
Grace returns for season 6 on Sunday 29 March at 9pm on ITV1 and will also be available to stream on ITVX alongside seasons 1-5.
The new edition of Living Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Harry Styles, is here! Buy Harry Styles in newsagents or online.
Reporter, Digital SpyÂ
Stephanie is a writer who specialises in pro wrestling, covering everything from AEW and WWE to NJPW.Â
After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she went on to study journalism at Birbeck University.Â
Outside of her journalism work Stephanie is also a YouTube content creator focusing on AEW and interviewing talent from AEW, WWE, and across the indie wrestling scene. She has also worked for Revolution Pro Wrestling as a backstage interviewer and commentator.