"It’s Hard to Say Goodbye": Inside the Grantchester Cast's Emotional Farewell
Over eleven seasons on Grantchester, we've seen countless corpses, listened to many moving sermons, and become skilled armchair sleuths. But it's the colorful cast of characters and their journeys that have meant the most to us.
After 11 captivating seasons, the beloved ensemble is reflecting on the show's remarkable legacy. Hear directly from the stars about their final moments on set, favorite behind-the-scenes memories, and exclusive farewell messages to the fans who tuned in every step of the way.
Want to hear more from the cast? Listen to a touching episode of the MASTERPIECE Studio podcast as the Grantchester cast says goodbye.
Rishi Nair (Alphy Kottaram)
"I would tell fans thank you so much for all the support that they've given us as a team. Especially for me — when I first joined the show, I came in as the new vicar and the show was so established and did so well and people loved what they saw. But then to come in as the new vicar, you're unsure about whether people are going to take a liking to you. And I have to say, everyone's response when I joined the show was so lovely and made me feel so welcomed. I was just really happy that everyone loved Alphy. So, a huge thank you for all the love and support!"
Robson Green (Geordie Keating)
"I'm going to miss that feeling of when you look at a schedule, you're going to a certain location. And in this case, it was Grantchester. I'd always look at the schedule and go, 'When are we going to Grantchester?' Because it's like going on holiday with lots and lots of friends. That's what I'll miss.
"As an actor, I just thought I'd get by and survive. But when I was doing Grantchester, I thrived as an actor. I was so relaxed and so happy that I didn't worry about making mistakes. In other jobs, I'm almost frightened of making a mistake, which is really restrictive. But here, you were allowed to be free in front of the lens.
"I'll be applauding all the lovely people that I've worked with from afar, seeing their credits in other movies and other productions going, "Oh yeah, I worked with them on Grantchester."
Tessa Peake-Jones (Mrs. C.)
"With great sadness and a heavy heart, what I'd like to say to Grantchester fans is thank you for sticking with us and supporting us from day one, Season 1, 11 years ago. Because without their support and their care and their commitment to the program, we wouldn't have been employed and had a program. It's only because of them that we've come back each year. Thank you very much to the fans for supporting us on what I hope has been a lovely journey for them as well as for us."
Al Weaver (Leonard Finch)
"We've had 11 glorious years with the best, most gorgeous people to work with, and I don't think we'll ever get that again. I don't think I'll ever have an experience like this again. We've all grown and experienced so many life changes and through it all, we've been there for each other. But it feels like the right time [to end the series]. It's been incredible, but all good things must end, right?
"It's like a marriage or having kids, isn't it? It's all the little bits [added up] — the joy of what we've done, how long we've done it for, and the relationships you take away."
Kacey Ainsworth (Cathy Keating)
"I've been in long-running shows before, but there's something special about this show. Thank you so much to all of our lovely fans, people who've sent us stuff from all around the world. I've got little knitted versions of Cathy and jackets and pictures, beautiful things... and I just want to say thank you for supporting us. It's been a real place of laughter and fun. So thank you, thank you very much."
Bradley Hall (Larry Peters)
"I think we're all so grateful for what the show has been... and once you've got that, once you've created those really genuine relationships [on set], you hold onto it. You don't want to let it go.
"I'm going to miss everyone and the camaraderie of set. You're allowed to joke. You're allowed to have fun. It's allowed. You can make a mistake here. You can enjoy it. That's so important because if you're not enjoying making TV, then don't make it. That's what I'm going to miss the most, because it's been a genuine joy. I want to give a big shout out and thank you to all of our fans for watching over the past 11 years. It's truly been a joyful show to work on and to watch."
Melissa Johns (Miss Scott)
"We actors know that when we start a job, it's not going to be forever, but that doesn't make it any easier when something comes to an end... I will miss [Grantchester] dearly. I will miss the people. This show has offered us so, so many things. It has had so many different strands. Daisy [Coulam], our lead writer, has created characters and worlds that so many people can relate to, and you have to stop it at some point because you could go on forever. You could watch these people live forever, but all good things must come to an end. It's time to say goodbye and it's going to hurt. But what a lovely, lovely ride we've had along the way. I count my lucky stars that I've gotten to be a part of this show."
