After five years at the pulpit, James Norton’s crime-solving clergyman Sidney Chambers was missing from the most recent episode of Grantchester, waving goodbye to the village in the show's last instalment.

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But was the ITV drama any good without its original lead? Can Grantchester survive sans-Sidney?

  • Who is Tom Brittney? Meet the actor taking over from James Norton in Grantchester
  • Grantchester viewers sad to see James Norton’s Sidney go – but they loved watching him leave
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  • According to viewers: absolutely. Despite missing a key character, fans applauded the latest episode, noting how the show had managed to keep its signature warmth.

    In particular, viewers loved Leonard Finch’s (Al Wearer) larger (and very clumsy) role in the story. After Sidney’s departure, it was down to the interim vicar to assist Detective Geordie Keating's (Robson Green) murder investigation.

    https://twitter.com/ITV/status/1088911915366211584

    But Leonard’s antics couldn’t distract many from missing Sidney...

    https://twitter.com/Arlene_HWycombe/status/1088906863989669888

    Fortunately though, any sadness soon evaporated with the arrival of Will Davenport – the show’s new lead clergyman played by Tom Brittney – on a motorbike.

    https://twitter.com/ravenwolf68/status/1088914627931582464

    https://twitter.com/DebbieBlackma14/status/1088914253594193920

    However, Will had a surprisingly small role in the story, only being declared as the new vicar of Grantchester at the episode’s end. To many, this was a very clever piece of plotting that allowed them to transition to a show without Sidney.

    https://twitter.com/NathRNath/status/1088912880823619585

    In summary:

    https://twitter.com/LMissinblue/status/1088922280661606409

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    Grantchester continues at 9pm on Fridays on ITV

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