In surprising news, Grantchester‘s lead star Tom Brittney has announced that he will be leaving the PBS Masterpiece drama series after the upcoming ninth season. Brittney plays Reverend Will Davenport in the 1950s set British drama series, which follows Will and Detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green) as they investigate murders in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester. Brittney joined the series in 2019, taking over the lead from James Norton, who left after the fourth season. The departure was confirmed by ITV, the network that airs the drama in the U.K. Rishi Nair, who is best known for playing Sami Maalik on the long-running British soap opera Hollyoaks, has been cast as Brittney’s replacement. Nair will play Alphy Kotteram, a charismatic new vicar who arrives in Grantchester. “I’ve had the most incredible time playing Will Davenport for the last five years,” Brittney said in a statement. “I got...