Grantchester fans were delighted to see pictures of original star James Norton on set earlier this year, with some believing that the actor would be making an appearance in the show’s upcoming final season.
Norton, who portrayed Reverend Sidney Chambers opposite Robson Green’s DI Geordie Keating, featured in the first four seasons of ITV’s detective drama before departing the series in 2019.
However, rumours about his return were recently dispelled by the Grantchester cast during a press Q&A. According to RadioTimes.com, Green revealed that their unexpected reunion was a “pure coincidence”.
“That was nuts,” Green recalled. “I’m sat next to Kacey [Ainsworth] and we’re all having dinner in a restaurant, and we’re all there just reminiscing, of course, and talking about our favourite subject… ourselves.
“And this guy walks in, very tall, incredibly charismatic, sits in the corner, starts reading a book. And I’m thinking, ‘That can’t be… that cannot be James Norton?’ And it was [him]. He turns around and he goes, ‘WTF!’ And we go, ‘WTF!’ And we sit down and reminisce.”
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The star revealed that both Norton and Tom Brittney, who played Reverend Will Davenport until earlier this year, later attended the show’s wrap party with the cast and crew.
“It was just beautiful. The stars were aligned that evening,” continued Green. “It was joyous on so many levels, and [executive producer] Emma [Kingsman-Lloyd] gave us a knockout speech there, just reminding us all of what a beautiful journey it’s been.”
ITV
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Ainsworth, who plays Geordie’s wife Cathy, described the incident as “an incredible bit of magic”, explaining: “[Norton] said he hadn’t even been in that restaurant for about two or three years.
“He just had literally popped in to have a quick bite to eat before he was going to the theatre. So it was an incredible bit of magic that we will forever attribute to the fact that Grantchester was so wonderful. It can do that, it can create magic.”
Grantchester airs in the UK on ITV1 and streams on ITVX
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a “telly addict” since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information. Â