The writers of Grantchester have revealed they considered killing off Geordie Keating in the show's final series, but ultimately decided against it. The detective inspector, played by Robson Green, is shot in the stomach by a villain named Dexter (Sonny Ashbourne Serkis) during a hostage situation in one episode of the 11th and final series of the ITV show.
Writers' Dilemma Over Geordie's Fate
Screenwriter Daisy Coulam told the Mirror that the team "tried to be like, ‘He should die. He should definitely die’" but that in the end "you need hope and you need joy." The programme chronicles the detective as he solves crimes in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
End of an Era for ITV Drama
The show started in 2014 and has proved enormously popular with audiences across the 10 series broadcast to date. Last year it was announced that it would end after its 11th season, with Polly Hill, ITV's director of drama, and Callum Dziedzic, drama commissioner at ITV, stating: "This final series marks the end of a golden chapter for ITV drama, and we know audiences will treasure this last summer in Grantchester as much as we will."
Robson Green's Farewell
Robson Green posted on Instagram: "You know what they say.... all good things must come to an end. Being part of the final series of Grantchester has been one of the greatest honours and privileges of my life. From the very beginning, I have had the incredible fortune to be part of this extraordinary team — a group of talented, passionate, and dedicated individuals who have become more than colleagues; they have become family." He added: "As we step into the 11th and final series, my heart is heavy with emotion but also filled with immense gratitude. It’s a bittersweet moment, knowing that we are bringing this beautiful journey to a close. Yet, amid the sadness, there is an overwhelming sense of happiness — happiness for the memories we’ve created, the stories we’ve told, and the friendships that have blossomed along the way."
The last episodes of the show, which stars Rishi Nair as the vicar, are already airing in the US, but UK fans will have to wait until next year for the conclusion. Grantchester airs on ITV.
