Father Brown renewed for two series as BBC producers praise "enduring magic" of daytime detective show

Fans will be delighted by the return of a hugely popular BBC series, with producers confirming that filming is already underway.

Since 2013, Father Brown has been taking an interest in police investigations in the Cotswolds in a period detective show that has since spanned 11 series. Now, the BBC has confirmed that seasons 12 and 13 are in the works, with an upcoming wedding set to drive the main storyline.

Mark Williams is back as Father Brown, the charismatic clergyman sleuth based on the classic character created by GK Chesterton. The cosy-crime series also sees the return of popular cast members Tom Chambers as Chief Inspector Sullivan, Claudie Blakley as Mrs Devine, Ruby-May Martinwood as Brenda and John Burton as Sergeant Goodfellow.

Williams said: “As we start the 12th season of Father Brown I feel like I’m starting to get to know him. He’s a mysterious sort of bloke, the sort of person who you can never predict other than knowing he won’t do what you expect. The best thing about playing the character is that I am never, ever bored by him.”

Head of BBC daytime Rob Unsworth said: “Father Brown is a real favourite with daytime and iPlayer viewers, so we couldn’t be more excited to commission both series 12 and 13 together, giving audiences another two years of new episodes to look forward to, and underlining our continued commitment to commissioning drama in the Midlands.”

Neil Irvine, executive producer for BBC Studios Drama Productions, added: “I’m delighted that Father Brown will be cycling back onto our screens for a further two series. The show has an enduring magic which has captured the imagination of viewers across the globe - a testament to Mark’s magnetic performance, compelling storytelling and our talented Midlands crew. Series 12 will introduce Father Brown’s biggest fan, amateur playwright Father Lindsey and a deadly new nemesis, alongside the return of some old favourites.”

ather Brown’s 11th series recently concluded on screen and averaged 2.5m viewers. The series continues to be a hit internationally and is viewed by audiences in the likes of the USA, Canada, Australia, Norway and South Korea.