The producers of Grantchester considered killing off Robson Green's character in the final series but ultimately decided against it, opting for a more hopeful conclusion.
The ITV drama, starring Robson Green and Rishi Nair as crime-fighting duo Detective Geordie Keating and Reverend Alphy Kottaram, will air its eleventh and final series in the UK next year. US viewers have already seen the finale, which featured Keating being shot and left fighting for his life.
Producers couldn't go through with it
Screenwriter Daisy Coulam revealed the struggle behind the scenes: "I mean the amount of times we tried to be like, 'He should die. He should definitely die'. I mean he died probably about four times in the story meeting and we just couldn't do it. It would just be too big."
She added: "You're like 'No, because you need that moment at the end'. You need hope and you need joy because it's a (platonic) love story and you need your two lovers alive at the end, I think."
Keating survives and passes the baton
Instead, Keating survives the shooting and decides to retire from the force, handing his hat to fellow officer Larry Peters, played by Bradley Hall, who will continue sleuthing with the Reverend. The hat had been with Keating since the start.
Coulam explained the hat moment: "The hat moment … it was randomly filmed the day James Norton came to set for a little visit. We were sitting and we said to Robson 'What kind of thing would you like to do? You know, what scene do you want?'"
"And he said 'I think you should give Larry the hat'. We were like 'Yes' because Emma and I are obsessed with Indiana Jones and it's basically Indiana Jones, isn't it? It's 'the putting the hat on'. So we were very happy and I just think Bradley acted his socks off and he doesn't say anything but you really, really feel his pride. It's so sweet."
Light-hearted moment on set
During filming of his final scenes on a hospital trolley, Robson, 61, lightened the mood by holding up a sign reading 'Available for panto', making everyone laugh.
He told The Masterpiece Studio podcast: "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."
Final series plotlines
The final series will see Reverend Alphy question his faith, and new fashion boutique owners Cathy Keating and Mrs C, played by Kacey Ainsworth and Tess Peake-Jones, get caught up in a murder.
Grantchester launched in 2014 and has run for 11 series, featuring three vicars including James Norton as Reverend Sidney Chambers and Tom Brittney as Reverend Will Davenport.
