In an exclusive June 2024 interview with MASTERPIECE, Grantchester star Robson Green talks about his character’s track record solving crimes, reveals how he needles co-star Tom Brittney, and dishes about his experience with Alphy’s red Triumph convertible.
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We say goodbye to Tom Brittney and his character Will Davenport in Episode 2. How was filming that last scene for you personally?
The day when we had to say goodbye on set in that meadow scene, we hadn’t seen each other in the chair in makeup. I just turn up on set in the meadows where it all started. I mean, I was there with James Norton as well. I’ve been there from the start. And I was saying goodbye to Tom in the meadows and the birds were singing, the flowers were out, and I just looked at him and we looked at each other and I just went, man, I just went. I sobbed uncontrollably, as did he, because it was saying goodbye, not only to a friend who remains a friend, but waving goodbye to the fun and waving goodbye to the journey we’ve both been on. It was a really joyous journey.
Do you have a favorite story about being on set and in character alongside Tom Brittney?
There was one episode we were doing [where] all the characters were on holiday and a guest character is murdered. Of course they are, it’s Grantchester. We have to work it out, and there I am my 1950s outfit assessing the murder scene, and he’s there dressed as a vicar. Tom just looked at me and went, “What are we doing?” He goes, “You are the most rubbish detective I’ve ever come across. Do you realize you’ve never solved a crime in any episode of Grantchester? You’re relying on me, a vicar, to sort this out.” We just fell about because it’s so true.
In all the episodes, I’ve never solved a thing. Not only that, but I’ve accused other people of murder, and I’ve never apologized!
Tom has said he loves snookering you into singing songs from the ’80s on set. How do you like to tease him?
What a great question. The thing about Tom is he’s one of those actors who conserves his energy and he’ll take his own time about approaching a scene. He ignores [film crew commands] like “mark it” and “okay, action.” He just takes his own time and when he’s ready, he’ll walk on and do it. Anyway, the camera won’t be running, and nobody said “standby,” but I’ll go, “Tom, that’s action,” and he goes into the scene and nobody’s prepared. Camera men are having a cup of tea and everything like that, and he starts doing the scene and I just watch him do the dialogue. It’s hilarious. Complete waste of energy, waste of time, and he’s going for it. It’s not being filmed. It’s the funniest thing. He’s got an award-winning performance kind of constructed in his head and nobody’s filming. That’s so funny. It’s so mean, but it’s dead funny.
We have it on very good authority that some cast and crew got matching Grantchester tattoos. What’s the story there?
You know about that? Yeah, a lot of the cast and crew got a small “G” on part of their body. I haven’t—yet. I’m not your kind of tattoo-y guy. But because Season 10’s coming up, there may be emotional blackmail. I may have to do it. It’s a family thing. It’s a real testament to the team—we’ve been there a long time.
May we point out that your character Geordie has had more vicars than he has suits?
It’s an interesting observation and true. Firstly, on the suit issue, I basically plagiarized the imagery of Peter Falk in Columbo. That image was so striking, I plagiarized his stoop, I plagiarized his walk, the gait, if you look at it. I plagiarized the way he moves his arms and the way he angles his head. That was completely nicked from him. He very rarely changed that image because it is a striking one and one that stays with the audience. Also, just on a logistical point of view, I don’t need to get changed every day while everyone else is being taken off set, rushing around. I’m having a lovely cup of tea or a flat light with an extra shot.
When was the moment you realized Rishi Nair was a fit with the Grantchester family?
When I was auditioning all the vicars. He came in and goes, “How are you? You’re a Newcastle fan, aren’t you?” I said, “Yeah, how’d you know that? You Googled it?” He went, “No, I’ve seen you. You’re always talking about Newcastle. You have done your whole career.” I go, “Oh, great,” and “I’m so sorry.” He said, “I’m Man U.” I went, “What?” Everybody’s a Manchester United fan.” We started talking about football whereas all the other [auditioning actors] wanted to talk about script and the scene, which is absolutely fine, of course. Me and Rishi talked about everything outside of the scene and immediately there was a connection.
In the scene we read, the characters are working out what they might have in common, and I asked Daisy, [series creator Daisy Coulam], “Can we talk about football at the end of it?” So yeah, we used it. Rishi went, “We can talk about football if you want.” I said, “Yeah, good idea.” Then at the same time we go, “That was never a penalty last night.” We both said it at the same time. Emma [Executive Producer Emma Kingston-Lloyd] clapped when she felt the connection. She instinctively went, “Yes, yes, yes.” I’m going, “Oh my God. If any actor outside the audition room hears that, it’s like a knife in their heart.” Anyway, it was obvious. It was obvious when he came into the room with his smile, with his energy, with the way me and him were connecting. You just know.
Did you have a chance to get behind the wheel of Alphy’s red Triumph convertible?
No, I pushed it. It’s a beautiful TR-5 or TR-4 I think, three liters. It’s a great entrance for any character…him bombing in that red car along a country lane. I just think it really is [Alphy’s] kind of schtick in terms of his look and his feel. The red Triumph really evokes that period of people wanting to live in the fast lane. It’s that kind of pace of life they want. Times are changing, not only culturally, but also changing in what people are seeking in new forms of entertainment, new forms of transport, and new forms of status and title. Cars in the sixties started to do that.
Sadly, one day we were doing this really long shot where the lens was a mile away on a drone out in the country. The car breaks down, and I’m pushing Rishi in that Triumph along a country road. Little do we know there’s paparazzi taking shots of me pushing the car, trying to get it to start, and it doesn’t. It was front page news!
Speaking of news, congratulations on the Grantchester Season 10 announcement! What are your hopes for Geordie’s character?
Well, the thing I’ve really witnessed throughout the series is Geordie’s evolution, how progressive he’s become and his acceptance of a lot of things. I’d like to see the relationship with Alphy and Geordie advance into something extraordinarily beautiful and life-changing in terms of cultural acceptance of the melting pot within Cambridge—that irrespective of where you’re from, it’s about your character, not the color of your skin, which was huge in the sixties and late fifties.
Beyond that, there will always be murder and mayhem in Grantchester. It’s the only way it works.
Author James Runcie’s The Grantchester Mysteries book series moved from 1953 into 1977. Are you ready for Geordie in a leisure suit?
1977? I’ll be dead! No, but Grantchester is the gift that keeps on giving. If it goes to 1977, who knows?
